Many of Jesus’ parables can be taken on more than one level. The parable of the talents, for example, makes for good advice whether the reader is religious or not. Simply put, it is a waste for the world at large as well as the individual when that person does not utilize their particular gift(s).
Believers understand the ancient monetary unit of a talent readily translates into the word we understand today meaning a personal ability or skill. The lord represents Jehovah God here in Matthew 25 and while the three servants can be taken for any three people, it is our purpose here to look at them as servants, i.e., people serving the Lord, members of His Body.
The first and second servants by using their talents wisely are examples to us as Christians to use our talent(s) here at Grissom Road in the same manner. What is not acceptable to our Lord is to waste our ability(-ies).
It is a constant sense of wonder to me when I encounter all the talent we have here at Grissom Road. I am not alone in this observation. Just last Sunday afternoon Jim Shelburn turned to me and said “What a great group of people we have here!” Everyone here is a witness to this. Our children are taught by caring, loving people who study their lessons well and present them clearly. Proof is in the product, and our young ladies and young men are models of propriety. Our parents care.
When many a body goes begging for volunteers, here we have multi-tasking occurring consistently. One man will lead singing one week, attend the Lord’s table the next week, offer the closing prayer the next week—it just goes on and on. How blessed we are!
Remember, no matter how few you believe your talents to be, the important thing is to use them. Your talents are neither more or less important than any other person’s talent. We are all members of the body of Christ. Recognize your special area(s) and who knows? Perhaps by practicing them you can discover you actually have more talents than you ever thought!
We understand that we know ourselves better than anyone but God. I will never be as good a preacher as Terry. I will probably never be able to offer a prayer with the same mellifluousness as Brother Lou. And I have no talent for song leading to keep under wraps. But if we do not do what we can, we are short-changing the Lord. Hiding your talent(s) threatens your spiritual walk.
Brother Stone in a recent Sunday morning class called this mind-set the “hunker down mentality”. In his class on service he made it clear how some Christians aspire only to the mediocre. They never volunteer, rarely socialize, sporadically attend, only do what they believe they can get by with. Poor in talent, they are rich in excuses.
The end game is evident in verse 30. We cannot and must not remain mired in sloth and indifference. The Christian life is one of self-sacrifice. That core fact distinguishes us from other faiths. True, putting ourselves “out there” can be a daunting experience, but remember I Jn. 4:18-19 and cast out your fear.
Also, recall Romans 8:31. If God is for us, who can be against us? Your brothers and sisters love you. We will work with you. Whatever your travail, the alternative to this “hunker down” mind set leads to spiritual death. Do not reject yourselves. All we possess, all we enjoy we owe to our heavenly Father. He has given us our lives. Empty yourselves of all negativity to become vessels dedicated to Him. We look forward to Heaven here, but if we do not take care of the here and now, we will not be there anyway.

Larry Purkey