Matthew 25:14-30 ~ You delivered

Writing in the Sand, painted by Carl Bloch

Matthew 25:14-30

14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants [bondservants] and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, [A talent was a monetary unit worth about twenty years' wages for a laborer] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.

19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. [bondservant] You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.

29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

If we condense this passage the way Jesus condensed God's Word:

Matthew 22:37-40
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

How does God love us in this passage:
~ God trusts us with what belongs to Him
~ God wants to be generous
~ God will invite us into His Kingdom to live His joy
~ God, who is on High, has regard for us - dust in the wind, a fading flower.
~ God expects what we would do for a friend, an employer - we would be willing to do for Him.
~ God determines not all are fit for His Kingdom.

When people, our life spans are so brief, judge God - the Eternal Almighty - with their lives and years of judgement words, they have rendered judgement upon themselves. It really isn't good to be one of the people campaigning against God to others.

Psalm 18:25-26

²⁵ To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

²⁶ to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.

Father God, Abba, we live in a fallen world, & we are not worthy to receive all of Your goodness. Help us each day to love You with all of our heart, to love ourselves, to love others as You would have us to. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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