Investing Our Talents: 31 Days of Selah

“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.”

Matthew 25:29

What “talent” has God given to you? What one measure of giftedness has been inscribed on your DNA that makes you unique?

In the parable of the talents, a man going on a journey entrusted each of his three servants with a different number of talents — varying measures of the man’s valuable possessions. The one with five talents invested well and doubled his measure, as did the servant with two talents. He also prospered because of his efforts.

But the man who was given just one precious talent buried it because he was afraid. When he was confronted by his master, he could show him only empty hands.

Speaking at a Christian writer’s conference in Grand Rapids last weekend, writer and teacher Steven James compared this servant’s one unused talent to the one story a writer feels he or she must tell — but never does.

Imagine taking that one story and burying it in a notebook, he said, aspiring to one day pull it out and put it to use. Imagine standing before God with your best intentions, only to find those intentions have no worth because they have been lost. The notebook is empty.

the canvas is blank

the song is never heard

the photograph, never taken

the landscape, never painted

In the end, the giver of talents rewards the servants who invested their gifts. I don’t want to stand before my Giver of Talents with empty hands. My desire is to hand Him an abundant harvest.

“For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”   Selah

2 Comments

  1. Cindy Miller

    You captured Stephen James’ talk perfectly! Thanks for the reminder!

  2. Tara

    Yes I want to give him an abundant harvest too!

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