the Gospel
Matthew 25:14-15, 19-21
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--
to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,
and made another five.
Likewise, the one who received two made another two.
But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground
and buried his master's money.
"After a long time
the master of those servants came back
and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents came forward
bringing the additional five.
He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,
'Master, you gave me two talents.
See, I have made two more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,
'Master, I knew you were a demanding person,
harvesting where you did not plant
and gathering where you did not scatter;
so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.
Here it is back.'
His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant!
So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant
and gather where I did not scatter?
Should you not then have put my money in the bank
so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.
For to everyone who has,
more will be given and he will grow rich;
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"
the scribble
If you’re anything like me, you hear today’s Gospel and immediately start thinking about how many “talents” you’ve been given and how you’ve spent them. Have they doubled? Or have you buried your only one, like the unfaithful servant?
Sitting here, wrestling with this, I can feel the Holy Spirit gently asking me this question:
What does it mean to be faithful in small matters?
And the first thing that springs to my heart in reply is: Trust.
To be faithful in small matters, we must first trust in God.
In His timing, even when it seems to be taking much longer than we ever anticipated. In His plans, even when they seem ridiculous, unexpected—or even harsh or cruel. In His ways, even when we can’t understand them.
It’s about being confident in the One who loves us more than anyone ever could. About knowing that He has our best interest, for eternity, even when we can’t make sense of how or why He is doing something in our lives here right now.
When we trust, we open our hearts. And then, eventually, by spending time with Him, and coming to know His voice, we can slowly begin to hear His call for our lives. His plans, His desires. We can begin to see traces of the ways He is moving in our lives, in our hearts, in the lives of those around us.
And then we can begin to understand where and how He wishes for us to put our talents to good use—use, not by the world’s standards, but by eternity’s. We must surrender our own measuring sticks and trade them in for open, humble hands stretched out to the Lord.
Today, I invite you to join me in asking the Lord for a heart that rests in Him.
That trusts Him.
Let’s ask for the grace to hear His voice.
The grace to mold our hearts.
So that we will be drawn ever deeper into the mission that He has for us here and now on earth, dressed in the unique gifts and blessings and crosses that we have each been entrusted with.
Today’s devotion was written by Rachel Smith
