Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: BURIED (04/01/21)
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TITLE: The Unprofitable Servant | Previous Challenge Entry
By Shanta Richard
04/08/21 -
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The first two servants were diligent and traded the money and doubled its value. But the third one decided to keep the money safe and buried it in a secret place. After a long time the master returned and reckoned with them. The first two servants proudly gave him the doubled amount of his money. The master was delighted and commending them for their faithfulness made them rulers over many things and invited them join in his joy.
The third man returned the master's talent saying that he had buried the talent in the earth and kept it safe. This answer so angered the master that he took away his talent and cast the unprofitable servant into, "outer darkness where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth"(v. 30). To me this was a harsh punishment. From the parable it seems clear that Jesus approved of the master's action. I had to know how it was justified. Praying for the Holy Spirit's guidance, I carefully reread the parable again.
This time I was able to find the reasons why he was punished. First in verse 25, he said he was, "afraid "to invest the money. Fear is satan's weapon to discourage believers and God has warned His believers not to fear and assured them of His presence with them. Thus to be afraid was a sin of not trusting God.. Secondly he was, "slothful", ( v. 26). He was excusing himself by saying he was afraid when he was actually just lazy. Proverbs 21: 25, warns us that, " the desires of a slothful man killeth him for his hands refuse to labor". And thirdly he did not have his master's interests in his mind. He had been entrusted with his master's money ( v.27), he should have at least put in a bank and earned some interest.
The worst action of this man was his audacity in trying to put the blame on his master for being, " a hard man, reaping where he has not sown, gathering where he has not strawed",( v. 24). Reminds me of Adam in the garden of Eden. When God asked him if he had eaten the fruit from the forbidden tree, instead of confessing his sin, he replied, "the woman whom thou gavest me ....she gave me....and I did eat". Just as Adam was cast out of the presence of God, this man was also cast out of the presence of his master.
This parable is actually about the Kingdom of God.and the talents He has given everyone of us. On Judgment Day, He is going to ask me what I did with my talent.
Would I say I cherished and buried it in my heart or would I joyfully declare that I shared it with everyone to glorify His name?
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