Managing Money God's WayPrimjer

The Parable of the Talents

Jesus’ famous parable has a lot to teach us about our money if we let it.

It's interesting to me how upset the master got with the steward who took no risks. The other two stewards did take risks and reaped the rewards. I often wonder why the parable didn't contain a steward who lost some of the investment. But either way, I think we're led to believe that the primary frustration of the master was that the steward was lazy and didn't even try.

He was called a wicked and lazy slave. What I take from this is that he was more frustrated with his laziness than his lack of production. The steward didn't even put the talents in the bank to gain interest. The passage states that the master gave to each of them according to their ability. So, I think we can assume that the steward with one talent did have some ability, or else he wouldn't have given him any.

If he did indeed have some ability to manage money, even with the smallest amount of ability, he would have known that earning small interest at the bank is better than burying it! I liken this to having a vet watch your dog for the weekend and not feed it. Almost everyone knows you should feed a dog at least daily, but especially a vet. It's his profession, the thing he is skilled at doing and entrusted to do.

So, the extreme amount of laziness this steward had in order to not put the talent in the bank, coupled with the fact that he let fear paralyze him from doing what he was expected to do, infuriated the master.

Now, it is fair to say that Jesus was using this parable about money to teach principles about stewardship that extend far beyond money.

We are to be stewards of our time, our children, our bodies, the gifts He has given us, and yes, even our money.

And if you and I refuse to step out in an area we are stewarding because we’re afraid or lazy, we may be behaving the same way as the steward with one talent. I don’t know about you, but I want to be a steward who hears “well done good and faithful servant”!

Today, let’s prayerfully ‘check in’ with God and ask if there are any areas in our life where fear or laziness is holding us back and ask for His help to grow as stewards!