Buried In Excuses  (December 27, 2015--Bulletin Article)

 

“Again, (at that time the kingdom of heaven) will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with the two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received the one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.” (Matthew 25:14-18)

The parable cited above was spoken to Jesus’ disciples just before his arrest and crucifixion. Jesus was again telling them there would come a time when he would be gone, a time in which they would have the responsibility for carrying on his mission of taking the gospel into all the world. This responsibility is symbolized in the parable as “bags of gold” (literally, a “talent”), a sum of money that the landowner entrusted to his servants. These servants were to make use of this money while the master was gone, increasing its value if possible. Of course, as most us who have read this parable know, the servants who were given five and two bags of gold, respectively, quickly went out and doubled those amounts. But the last servant, entrusted with only one bag of gold, went out, dug a hole and buried or “hid” his master’s money.

The parable is resolved when the master returns from his trip and calls for an accounting of his money. The first two servants are commended and enriched for doubling their  master’s portions. However, the last servant begins to make excuses for his negligence. “Master,” he said, “I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.” (25:24-25) This servant is then called “wicked,” “lazy,” and consigned to“darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (30)

Just as these servants were entrusted with money, every disciple is entrusted with opportunities. The Lord does not require of us more than we are able to handle, for each one is given opportunities “according to his ability.” (15) In fact, the Lord isn’t really asking much from us. Could it be there are some of us who can handle only one bag of gold or opportunity in a lifetime? Maybe so...yet none of us is without responsibility. The Lord does expect something! Have you made good use of the good news? Has it affected your life and your relationships with others? Has it changed, even minimally, your use of time and resources? What have you done with your opportunities? Are you building on Jesus’ riches or burying them in excuses?