Consider the investments, risks and rewards.

In Matthew 25, we find a unique parable of three servants who are each given a portion of their master’s money to invest. There are some life lessons to be learned from these servants and their bags of gold. More importantly, Jesus is pointing to something greater (as He always does).

We’ll see some practical life lessons, but more importantly, we’ll unpack the eternal lessons that last. But first, let’s do some groundwork.

Where’s the “bags of gold”?

Depending on which translation you use regularly, you may be wondering why I’m talking about bags of gold. This is a valid situation that needs to be addressed.

• The NIV translation states “…bags of gold…” (25:15), referenced in my title and intro.
• Another translation may use the term, “talents”. (Which is completely different from our typical English talent by the way, as in “America’s Got Talent”.)
  • The talent was the actual name for the currency used in Jesus’ day.
• Another translation may jump right to a word that everyone will understand, “money.”

Regardless of the translation, the concept here is that each servant was given a large sum of money to invest.

How much is each bag of gold worth?

What could a bag of gold (or talent) buy in Jesus’ day? (You’re going to be shocked here.) A single talent would have been equal to 20 years’ wages as a labourer. In my opinion, this is why simply using “money” in a translation doesn’t serve Jesus’ true meaning very well.

Even the guy with one talent (or one bag of gold), was given a lot of cash to invest. Regardless of whether a servant received one, two or five talents, the Master has put a lot of trust in his servants.

What’s the metaphor here?

Maybe you’re wondering, what’s this story really about? Well, we too have been given many things in which we must invest for our Master. These may in fact include money, possessions, resources or commodities?

Moreover, God has blessed us with knowledge, experience, skills and abilities, and a wide variety of non-tangible resources. Pause for a moment and think about what you’ve been given. What has God blessed you with?

A good servant invests wisely. This is a practical principle for household and business assets, as much as ministry assets. However, we can’t leave it there. We need have an eternal kingdom mindset whenever we read the parables of Jesus.

Capturing the Eternal Perspective

In order to get a fuller perspective, we can fast-forward further in time and in our Bible to the book of James. He’s the faith in action guy that can help us get an eternal perspective.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (Jam. 1:17)

The reality is that everything we possess, everything we own, every ability we have; all of it is from our Lord and Master, and ultimately belongs to Him.

Here’s the catch; He gives us the choice on how we might invest all of it. We can look at all our blessings as our belongings and keep them for ourselves, or we can use them wisely. We can make a choice to invest them in God’s work, both intentionally and whenever a unique opportunity arrises.

Join the Conversation, Leave Your Thoughts

• Why did Jesus choose to use such high amounts of money?
• Why would the Master entrust so much to his servants?
• What do you have that Jesus is calling you to invest this week?