Monday, November 8

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.” Matthew 25:14-30

I remember an old T.V. show – back in the black and white T.V. days – called “The Millionaire.” From what I can remember the show started the same way every week – a very wealthy man (whose face you never saw) would write a check for $1,000,000 and give it to his assistant with instructions to deliver it to someone he had identified as needy or deserving in some way – and who had no idea the gift was coming. Then the rest of the episode would follow the story of the unsuspecting recipient of the millionaire’s gift – what they did with the money and what the money, at times, did to them.

I can remember wondering what it would be like to be on the receiving end of such a gift. I’m sure I had no idea how much a million dollars was –I just was pretty sure it was more than my allowance! In this parable Jesus is telling a similar story- only the “master” is not an anonymous millionaire, but God himself. And we are the recipients of his generosity.

“Hold on just second,” you might say, “where is my million bucks?” While it is true that a “talent” in Jesus’ day was a very large amount of money (actually a weight of silver) – the truth is that God has entrusted each of us with all kinds of gifts and resources.

We have received what I would call “personal gifts” - life, health, intelligence, the ability to taste chocolate chip cookies, to hear music, and to feel the November wind against our faces. We have received “relational gifts” - the love and joy of family and friends. We have received “material gifts” - houses, cars, clothes, computers, ipods, ipads and all manner of stuff. And, if we have become followers of Jesus by faith, we have received “spiritual gifts” - that is, the Holy Spirit has enabled us to minister to others in the name and power of Christ.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of other, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Romans 12:6-8

Most of us, I think, tend to resist the idea that we are “gifted” or “talented.” We like to think of superstars like LeBron James or Luciano Pavarotti as gifted or talented and ourselves as just “normal folks.” But the truth is we are all gifted! We might be a “five-talent guy” or a “two-talent guy” or a “one-talent” guy – but the Master has invested his own resources in each one of us. And the only question is whether we will recognize and use the gifts he has given.

Take a few moments to consider the “giftedness” of your own life – and ask God to keep you from comparing yourself to others who you may see as more talented than yourself – and instead to you celebrate and use the gifts he has given!

Brian Coffey