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Unburied Treasure
Amid a whirlwind of laments, parables, and discussion of the last days between Matthew 23 and 25, Jesus taught His disciples of the kingdom of heaven in two metaphors. The first metaphor highlights the imminence of the advent of Jesus and our need of abiding in the Holy Spirit. The second, known as the parable of the talents, highlights the stewardship of all believers as we await the Advent. One thing that becomes clear as we study these three chapters is that Jesus passionately desires to form in us holy characters so we can spend eternity with Him. Perhaps I am oversimplifying, but that is the gist. Let’s take a closer look.
The subject of spiritual gifts is often discussed among people of faith. There is the big looming question of the difference between a spiritual gift and a natural talent. Another question that arises is what effect the gifts should have on others. I’d like to take another approach. I would like to glean three quick lessons from the aforementioned parable in Matthew 25:14-30.
1. God knows what gifts to entrust to whom. Notice in verse 15 that the owner takes into account the ability of His stewards. For too many reasons to mention here, people are tempted to be distracted by that which God entrusts to others. It is vital to our spiritual growth for us to believe that God knows exactly what He is doing. First Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4 teach us that God uses the gifts to unify people with each one playing a part, symbolizing a functioning body, controlled by Christ.
2. It is God’s will to catch people being faithful. All too often God is indicted for being out to get us. Notice that before punishment for unfaithfulness is ever mentioned, the owner gives out rewards for faithfulness (Matthew 25:19-23). According to the parable, the reward is the owner’s joy. Do you believe God enjoys rewarding you? The Bible writer wrote in Hebrews 11:6 that “without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” The focus of this verse is faith. When we exercise our God-given faith, it gives God pleasure to reward us, even above that which we deserve.
3. We must realize that all of the abilities, gifts, and talents God bestows should be valued as sacred treasure. As such, we must not think it a small thing to let them languish for lack of use. This is the basis for our title. In verses 24-30 an unfaithful servant is described as one who clearly does not know the owner intimately. Instead of capitalizing on the owner’s trust, as did the others, this slothful servant buried his treasure. It is not God’s will for us to think our contribution is too small to offer to the larger society. Think of the opportunities for good that you see every day. Do you capitalize on them? Do you see the gloomy faces of coworkers and smile, hoping to brighten their day? Do you recognize the need of a kind word in season, when people are often overlooked and underappreciated?
With a multiplicity of words, I have attempted to demonstrate that God has gone to great lengths to equip us to be functioning members of our communities. Will you be faithful to that trust? If you have been challenged in this area, by all means unbury your treasure.
L. DAVID HARRIS is founder of Each 1 Reach Many Ministries, author of Know Peace Within: A Life in Transition, and the two-volume set Alive at 5: Victory in Retrospect. To find out more, visit www.reachmanyradio.com.
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