Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Stash (01/09/25)
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TITLE: The Talents | Previous Challenge Entry
By Marilyn Meiners
01/14/25 -
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Ozias I’m giving you five talents.”
“Thank you my Master. I will invest these carefully.”
“Azriel, to you I am giving two talents.”
“You won’t be disappointed, Master.”
Ethan smiled at their enthusiasm.
“And to you Amal, I give one talent.
I look forward to seeing what each of you have done with this talent I have given to you. I will be leaving at noon.”
“I wonder where Ethan is going”? Asked Azriel
“Wherever it is, it sounds like he is going to be gone for awhile, so we have time to make our investments,” said Ozias. “I’m going home and think about where is the best place to put my five talents. I want to make Ethan proud when he returns.”
“Hrumph,” grumbled Amal. “He probably won’t be pleased no matter where you put your talent.”
Amal walked away muttering to himself. “I’m not going to put much thought into where it should go. The safest place for me to put this talent is in the ground. I’ll put it with my other “treasures” stashed away in my hiding place. When Ethan returns, he gets his one talent back. I’m not losing this.”
Ozias wanted to surprise Ethan. He never had the chance to invest money of this amount before, so he was going to take advantage of his financial smarts. He went to his friend who owned the local fish market. He knew the market was doing poorly, but he had an idea of how he could make a success of it - if he only had the chance. Seeking his friend out, Ozias asked if he would be willing to sell the market for five talents, explaining it would be a good investment for him. Reuel hesitated only a moment, then said, “I think that’s a great idea Ozias. I have been wanting to retire anyway. You know, the market isn’t doing that well. Can you turn it around?”
“I know I can,” said Ozias confidently. Within a year he not only earned back the five talents he invested, but he earned five more. Ten talents safely deposited at the bank.”
When Azriel saw what Ozias was doing with his talents, he decided to try the same. Azriel invested in some sheep. Purchasing ten sheep for two talents. Within a year he had fattened these sheep, and their wooly coat was nice and full. He took them to market and was delighted to have a buyer purchase them for four talents. “I did it! I earned my master a total of four talents." He also took his money to the bank for safe keeping.”
Amal was not excited about either the success of Azriel or Ozias. He just wanted the easiest and safest way out. He knew his master was a hard one and if he lost the one talent he was given, he was not sure what his master would do. Yep, he made the right choice by burying his talent along with his other stash of treasures. It was the right thing to do.
Two years later Ethan returned. He couldn’t wait to see what his servants had done with their talents. Calling each of them to his home he asked, “what have you done with your talent?”
Ozias presented Ethan with ten talents. “I invested in a fish market and doubled my investment. This is for you.”
“Well done, Ozias.”
Azriel stepped forward and placed four talents into Ethan’s hands. “I bought and sold some sheep,” he said. “I too doubled the money I invested.”
“Well done, Azriel. Each of you have been a good and faithful servant. I have much more to give to you.
At last Amal came running from outside. “Hi Ethan. I have the talent you gave me. I was afraid of what would happen if I lost it, so I buried it. Here is the one talent.”
“You what? You wicked servant. You could have put it in the bank and earned interest, but you did nothing. Give your talent to Ozias. Now, get out of my presence.”
“Azriel, Ozias….you both did good. Enter into the joy of your Master.”
Story based on Matthew 25:14-30
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