Well Done

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW

WELL DONE

Matt 25:14-30

14 "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' 21 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 22 "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' 23 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 24 "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' 26 "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 "'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

NIV

There is no way we can break up this parable, so we are left to deal with it as a whole. First, we should note that this has nothing to do with money at all. Jesus is only using what people are familiar with to explain what the kingdom of heaven is like. Jesus is the man who went on a journey. We know that he has left earth and is in heaven and that at whatever time the Father has determined, Jesus is coming back. When he left he gave us the Holy Spirit with all his gifts and fruit to manifest within us. We have also been called to a task or a calling by the Lord and it is this which we are to use. The point, however, is that we are not to use our talents, our gifts, for the advancement of the self, but rather for the advantage of the kingdom of God. This is what we are going to be asked when he returns. He will ask us how did we use what he gave us for the benefit of the kingdom, or did we bury his gift deep within so that no one could ever see it? Of course, we are not to show off our gifts for the praise of men, that would be prideful on so many levels. However, that point is that we are to use our talent, whatever that is which the Lord has given us so that people will praise God. This means we humbly go about doing that which we have been called to do so that through our lives, the kingdom will flourish, or grow as money does because of investing in a guaranteed win, which would double the investment. Although we know, with money and investments there are no such guarantees. But within the kingdom of God that is always the Word which is the only guarantee in life. So as we invest in the kingdom, doing what he has given us to do, the kingdom will gain and as a result, we will hear our Lord commend us and welcome us into his happiness. Oh, to hear those words. “Well done good and faithful servant”