Achieving Your Potential

KEY VERSE: “Unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.” —Matthew 25:29

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Matthew 25:14-30

THE USE OF the talents and the resources God has entrusted to each one whom he has called, is the subject of our Selected Scripture for today’s lesson. We read: “The kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.”

This parable of the talents is another lesson about the kingdom of heaven, and relates to our Lord Jesus going into the ‘far country’—even “heaven itself.” (Heb. 9:24) But before he departed, he delivered to his servants certain privileges and opportunities, according to the ability of each man.

Since the beginning of the Gospel Age, the disciples and servants of Christ have been making more or less use of their privileges in serving the Master. Some have used their talents in teaching, some in preaching, some in witnessing to the good news of the kingdom, and some have used their talents in ministering to the needs of others. Some, however, hid their talents in the earth—perhaps under various earthly cares and responsibilities entrusted to them.

In the parable we learn, “After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.” (Matt. 25:19) This ‘long time’ is the present age, during which the Lord has been dealing with his people. At the end of this age our Lord was to return to hear the report of his servants, and to reward them according to what they had done, or had not done. We should note that the Lord was not dealing with anyone other than his servants, for he has never recognized any others than those fully devoted to serving him. The ‘rendering of accounts’ of these servants is the testing, which demonstrates who are the ones worthy to share with the king in his kingdom.

In the parable; the servant who had received five talents had used them wisely and had doubled them. He was invited to share in the Master’s glory. The lord said to the servant, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (vs. 21) In other words, the service of the present life is but an insignificant one in comparison to the glorious ministry which awaits the faithful overcomers. They will sit with Messiah in his throne, and as kings and priests shall instruct, uplift and bless all mankind.

The servant who had been given two talents was also faithful. He received his master’s approval in equally kind terms, being recognized as a “good and faithful” servant who would be made a ruler over “many things.”—vs. 23

But the servant who had failed to use his one talent was branded as “wicked and slothful.” (vs. 26) He knew it was given to him to increase, so his failure to do so proved him to be unfaithful and unworthy. He had respected the talent as his master’s property, but yet he had hidden it in the earth instead of increasing its value. It was therefore taken away from him and given to the one who had ten talents. “Unto everyone that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance.”—vs. 29

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