to all those who have, more will be given,
and they will have an abundance;
... but from those who have nothing,
even what they have will be taken away.
**
This is a confusing - and may even seem to be a harsh gospel - on several accounts. But it also contains subtleties and a contemporary message.
First, it is not a gospel about God’s harshness. Second, and more importantly, it is not a gospel about investment strategies and God smiling on those who win big in the stock market.
It IS a gospel about using one’s gifts – whether they be music, baking, gardening, conversation, social media ease or wealth – for the good of the kingdom of God.
**
Take a closer look at the gospel. The “man” in this gospel is a stand-in or a metaphor for God.
Jesus said that the man gave to each according to his ability. In other words, he knew each person and did not ask more of any individual than they were capable of handling.
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Think back to last week’s parable about the ten bridesmaids who went out to meet the bridegroom. It occurs in the verses immediately before this morning’s gospel
They had one simple task ... to be ready to greet the groom... They had to make sure that they had oil for their lamps. That was all.
Those who were prepared entered into the banquet. Those who were not were shut out.
The gospels have many other examples of simple requirements for entering heaven.
**
A talent was a very large sum of money. Some historians figure that it was worth 15 years of wages. Others say it would be roughly the equivalent of a million dollars.
Regardless, to Jesus’ listeners, it would have seemed like a large sum of money that the man entrusted to his slaves.
Note that the money he gave them was not their own. They had not earned it. He gave it to them, freely. In a sense, it was a loan.
Moreover, he didn’t tell them what to do with it. They had wide latitude in how they could use the wealth.
When the master returned, The one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’
His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’
**
Again, this is not primarily a story about investing money. Jesus used concrete examples in his stories.... to engage the imagination of his listeners, but his examples were always metaphors.
In his parable last week about the bridesmaids, the story was about being prepared for the unexpected coming of God ...not about how much oil was enough.
**
Let’s now step out of the gospel times and into our own day.
God gives each of us gifts, or talents. To some, gifted with education and investment abilities, he gives more... but his expectations for them are correspondingly higher. To those of us with simpler gifts and abilities, the expectations are more modest... But each of us is expected to use whatever gifts we have.
**
So, this morning’s gospel is not about cash or investment strategies but about what we do with our personal talents and skills and how we multiply them. Jesus’ message is that you’ve got to use them.
If your talent is music or dance, then to give joy to the hearts and minds of people who come to see and hear you perform.
If your talent is gardening, then making a space more beautiful with flowers and shrubs so others can see and share in the joy of creation multiplies the gift. Maybe, like me, you don’t know what plants do well in shade or sun, but you can rake leaves.
If you have a talent for finance or organizing, then using those talents to improve the lives of others is a great return on investment.
Listening generously to someone who struggles to share their thoughts is also a gift that blesses others ... and makes the world better.
Baking, knitting or sewing for others benefits those who give as well as those who receive.
When you hear this gospel, think of the talents you have and how you use them.
**
One perversion of this parable shows up as a so-called “prosperity gospel” message. I want to talk about its interpretive error so you are warned about its dishonesty.
The prosperity gospel uses texts, like this one, to argue that God wants people to do well financially and materially, in this world and in these times.
The mistake is to take the gift of talents literally as financial gifts and rewards and to think that Jesus approves of multiplying financial investments and that he condemns those who are poor.
This is NOT what the gospel is saying.
Making a virtue out of large financial gains perverts the gospel of All Saints Day where Jesus said blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs in the kingdom of heaven -
When the man in the parable condemns the one who did nothing with his talent, purveyors of the prosperity gospel pervert the meaning to justify not caring for those who are needy, ignoring the parable of the good Samaritan - by saying that Jesus condemned the one who was poor and using this passage to justify not sharing one’s wealth...or other gifts.
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The talents we receive are not our own. They are something God gifts to us, to use for his and our neighbours’ betterment.
The ultimate reward will come for using the gifts that we have been given for the good of others.
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What about the harshness in this gospel the weeping and gnashing of teeth? Recall that the thrust of this message is to use the God-given talents that we have. NOT using them is the sin.
Being self-involved when you have an opportunity to smile and speak with someone being idle when you have a chance to pick up garbage or to cook and serve a meal, or to give generously from your personal wealth is what Jesus condemns in this gospel.
Thinking of it this way, the gospel becomes a set of questions.
- What is an honest assessment of my talents?
o Forget false modesty.
o What do I know that I do well?
- How do I use my talent to increase the good for others?
- What simple steps could I take to improve that return on God’s trust in me?
The broader context of this whole chapter is the kingdom of heaven. In Christ’s vision it is a place where we will share the fruits of our talents - whatever they be - with others.
The onus is on us – my talented brothers and sisters- to use what God has given us.
Peace
Michael