“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. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:28-30)

Here is a parable that warns of the punishment that awaits those who have no faith in Jesus nor wish to serve Him. This parable about the talents is another in a series of teachings Jesus gave as warnings. Soon He would be crucified, ushering in the Kingdom of God. As we saw in Paul’s words to the Thessalonians, we people of God have to be about the business of building that Kingdom, not complacent or idle resting on our own status as God’s chosen ones much as the leaders of the Jews did in Jesus’ day, or, for that matter, many times in their past history.

We believers called to be busy using all our talents and resources to expand His Kingdom. We must have faith as we do so. We must not be afraid, as we see with the servant who buried his talent. Servants who truly know their Master will have faith as they go about Kingdom business because they will know that the Lord will work in and through them to accomplish His goals.

The Lord has given to each of His chosen certain gifts and talents. In fact He has given every human being various talents and gifts. Some, like the wicked servant in the parable have chosen to misuse, squander, or dismiss them altogether in the pursuit of worldly pleasures and fame. Others have opted to use their God-given talents and resources to build their own personal kingdoms, using them to enhance their own wealth, power, prestige and self-image, which, in terms of the Kingdom of God, is the same thing as wasting them. Despite all those we praise and extol in this life for their great abilities or looks, only what is done for the Lord and His Kingdom will last for eternity. Thus we, the servants of Jesus Christ, are called to use all that is given us to build His Kingdom to glorify God as well as to spread the gospel by word and deed so that many may be spared the eternal punishments so graphically depicted by the Lord.