It is noteworthy to highlight some of the profound lessons presented to us in the story of the parable of the talents. During His three and a half years on earth, Jesus Christ specialized in using stories and illustrations to explain essential truths and He did so to enable people have a clearer and deeper grasp of the truth He sought to communicate. Jesus is an expert at using what people already know to teach them what they don’t know.

We see three types of people who were given talents in this story. One was given five talents; another two and the last one was given one. Except for the last one, they all went to work right away and doubled what they were given. They made the Master very happy. But the last one chose to dig a hole in the ground and hide his. He explained he knew the Master better than the other two stewards. He portrayed the Master as a depraved man who reaps where he does not sow. So he acted like a steward who didn’t want his Lord to profit from his labour. We saw how the Lord responded to each of them; the first two received commendations and the third received condemnation. The parable closed with an important truth: anyone who has will be given more, while the one who does not have will have the little he has taken away from him and given to the person who has.

I heard some wealthy individuals; accused of oppressing the poor, use this scripture to defend themselves. If you read this verse from the King James version, it appears to justify their actions; however, if you read it from other Bible versions, you will get the obvious message: “For the man who uses well what he is given shall be given more, and he shall have abundance. But if a man is unfaithful, even his meager responsibilities will be taken away” [TLB]. This is why it’s necessary to read the Bible in many translations, because each translation’s goal is to help you comprehend the scripture better.

God has bestowed gifts to everyone He created. Nobody is left empty. These are some of the references to “talent” in the Bible. We were all born with unique abilities. When we are born again, we receive spiritual gifts. However, God permits us to be born with one, two or a number of natural gifts. He chooses the gifts we receive and how many we receive. They are not handed to us based on our preferences. You might desire certain types of gifts; this is not wrong, but in the end, you will work with what God has given you. It is unwise to try to imitate others. You may be so drawn to the gifts and abilities God has bestowed on others that you neglect the ones God has bestowed on you. Someone once defined covetousness as counting others’ blessings rather than your own. “Count your blessings; name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done,” the hymn writer declared. So, envy and covetousness will get you nowhere; they will only cause you troubles. All you have to do to enjoy your life is to explore and discover what God has given you. Thank God for it, appreciate it, grow it and use it to serve God and humanity.

It is critical for you to understand that no one possesses all of the gifts, no matter how many you have and no talent is more essential than the other. God did this on purpose to limit us, in order for us to live a life of interdependence rather than independence. Nobody in this world can live independently and survive. Even the world’s most advanced nations, need the poor nations for what they lack in order to thrive. That is why they strive to relate with diverse countries. The Bible says,  “ It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others” [Ephesians 2:10 TLB]. “God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessings.  Are you called to preach? Then preach as though God himself were speaking through you. Are you called to help others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies so that God will be glorified through Jesus Christ…” [1Peter 4:10 – 11 TLB].

“Just as there are many parts to our bodies, so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of it, and it takes every one of us to make it complete, for we each have different work to do. So we belong to each other, and each needs all the others. God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, then prophesy whenever you can—as often as your faith is strong enough to receive a message from God.  If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching.  If you are a preacher, see to it that your sermons are strong and helpful. If God has given you money, be generous in helping others with it. If God has given you administrative ability and put you in charge of the work of others, take the responsibility seriously. Those who offer comfort to the sorrowing should do so with Christian cheer” [Romans 12:3-8 TLB].

It makes no sense to compete with anyone because we are all unique and created to compliment one another. There is no room for rivalry. In fact, Apostle Paul stated that those who compete amongst themselves are not wise. God created you uniquely to make your own contribution. We are sometimes intimidated by the gifts of others but this should not be the case, especially in spiritual matters, for God judges differently from humans. Things that people look down on on Earth may be highly important in heaven. When you understand this, you will always be confident in who God created you to be and will live a wonderful life. Do not be like the last servant, who hid his skill and refused to use it.

God desires to reap the benefits of His investments in our lives. When we deny him those benefits, we irritate God. We can see how He reacted to the servant who refused to exercise his skill. We must recognize the hazards of not identifying; developing and employing the gifts that God has given you. Many of us have been in this church for a long time but are not contributing anything; we are merely consumers of the effort of others. These people get a kick out of criticizing what others do. I challenge you to play your part while allowing others to play theirs. To achieve God’s divine purpose on earth, each of us must complete our own task.

Remember the Bible story about the lady whose husband was a minister of God and died in debt? When Elisha noticed her pitiful state, he inquired, “What do you have in your house?” She said nothing except a pot of oil. “That’s enough,” Elisha said and provided her instructions on how to increase the oil. Some of us are like this woman: we look down on the gifts we have. But it was that little ‘but’ that salvaged the day. When I read this piece, one of the things that struck me was, what would have happened if the dead man didn’t have a good relationship with his neighbours? When Elisha told her to borrow kegs from her neighbours, they gave her more than she needed. Some of us get into fights with our neighbours. It does not make Christianity appealing.

• To be continued next Sunday

Another story to consider is that of Moses. When God sent him to deliver the children of Israel from captivity, God placed a rod in his hands and stated, “Through this rod, I will deliver my people and perform a great miracle.” But when the chips were down, Moses looked down on the rod. What Moses thought was only a rod was actually what God used in Moses’ ministry to deliver the children of Israel during the journey.

Thank God for the purpose-driven paradigm. It easily shows us how to uncover God’s gifts in our life. “SHAPE” is an acronym that helps us discover who God has created us to be—the S stands for Spiritual gifts. As I previously stated, spiritual gifts are given to us when we are born again. How can you discover which gift you were given? “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might,” the Bible instructs. Begin serving to God in any way that may benefit humanity and bring honour to God. When you perform these things progressively, you will uncover your area of gifting.

The letter H stands for “Heart.” This is your heart. You learn who God created you to be through your areas of interest, passion and desire. It is quite rare for God to employ you in a field where you have no interest. Discovering your gifts and passions is one of the most important keys to success in life. You will see yourself excelling if you pursue them.

Another way you discover yourself is through your “Abilities,” [letter A]. You were born with these innate abilities. There are many persons who are not spiritual yet excel in their areas of endeavour, such as football, for example. They do not need to be spiritual to excel in this profession because they are born with it. We were born with many gifts that we can develop and use in the service of God and humanity.

The letter P represents “Personality.” Our personalities are distinct, some of us are introverts, others are extroverts etc. There is no such thing as a superior personality. God created your personality as a result of what He intends to do in and through your life. So don’t strive to be someone else. Be who God created you to be, because that is part of your ministry.

The final letter “E” stands for “Experiences.” God purposefully exposes us to a wide range of life experiences, both good and terrible. Being a child of God does not insulate us from challenges and temptations. “In the world, we shall have tribulations,” Jesus remarked [John 16: 33]. God exposes us to these trials in order to prepare us for whatever He has planned and purposed to do in and through our life. This is explained clearly in James 1: 2. God provides these events to prepare us for the ministry of helping those who will go through similar circumstances.

We can see examples of some of the gifts God has blessed us with and what is expected of us in Romans 12: 3. You are gifted to make use of it, to be contributors and to add value. You are supposed to be a contributor, wherever you are.  The scripture has this to say, “So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honour and care are given to those parts that might otherwise seem less important.  This makes for happiness among the parts, so that the parts have the same care for each other that they do for themselves.  If one part suffers, all parts suffer with it, and if one part is honoured, all the parts are glad.  Now here is what I am trying to say: All of you together are the one body of Christ, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it” [1Corinthians 12: 12 – 27 TLB].

In what ways are you contributing to the growth of this church and ministry? You are not here by chance. You have a unique gift and you have a place of assignment and service waiting for you. May God grant us the strength to do so for the glory of His name. Amen.

QU OTES:

“Someone once defined covetousness as counting others’ blessings rather than your own.”

“It makes no sense to compete with anyone because we are all unique and created to compliment one another.”

“Discovering your gifts and passions is one of the most important keys to success in life. You will see yourself excelling if you pursue them.”

“There is no such thing as a superior personality. God created your personality as a result of what He intends to do in and through your life. So don’t strive to be someone else. Be who God created you to be, because that is part of your ministry.”