In Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus tells a parable about a wealthy landowner who entrusts His riches to His servants expecting them to invest those resources according to the landowners intentions while they await His return. The resources given by the landowner are extensive … as he gives today’s equivalent of millions of dollars to each.
Jesus tells this parable in the context of a sermon He was preaching about His certain return to the earth in the last days (Matthew 24-25 … “The Olivet Discourse.”). The implication is clear – Jesus was telling His disciples that He was leaving for a “long journey” (2,000 years now and counting) but one day would return. While we wait for His return, we are to invest His resources for His purposes.
What are His resources? Truly ALL THINGS … but generally these could be categorized in three areas: time, talent, treasure.
Is time truly the Lord’s? YES. Psalm 90 reflects on our relatively brief lives, yet God is eternal. Our days are numbered, Psalm 139 says, by the Lord of All Time. Whatever time we have is GIVEN US BY GOD, with the expectation that we would use those opportunities according to His purposes.
Is talent truly the Lord’s? YES. 1 Peter 4:10 indicates that we are each given a spiritual gift by the Lord to equip us for service and Psalm 139 tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Ephesians 2:10 even tells us that the Lord has prepared us for good works “that we should walk in them.” Whatever talent we have is GIVEN US BY GOD, with the expectation that we would use those skills according to His purposes.
Is treasure truly the Lord’s? YES. Psalm 50:10 lets us know that God has “the cattle on a thousand hills” and King David reminded us in the prayer of dedication over the resources to construct the Temple that truly all things are the Lord’s (1 Chronicles 29:10-16). So whatever treasure we have (money, possessions, etc.) is GIVEN US BY GOD, with the expectation that we use that stuff according to His purposes.
In His grace God has saved us and equipped us with opportunities, skills, and stuff. He wants us to use them as He intended, and one day we will give an account for how we stewarded His resources (2 Corinthians 5:10). It is my prayer that we would all hear “well done good and faithful servant” on that day.
How will you put to use what He has given you this week?