“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.”

Matthew 25: 14-18

As Jesus continued His Olivet Discourse, he addressed this idea in His parable of the Talents found in the verses above. Like the parable of the Ten Virgins, this parable addresses our responsibility to ack on what the LORD has given us, because either at the end of our lives or when He returns, we will give an answer to the One who redeemed us.

When the man returned from his journey, he congratulated the servants who made the best use of the resources, saying, “‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master”(v21). On the other hand, the one who squandered his time was cast away from the presence of the Master, just like the foolish virgins we considered yesterday.

He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 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 25:24-30

Two servants were stimulated by the opportunity presented by the Master. One was paralyzed with fear and he was judged as worthless. I think we know which choice we want to make, the question is whether or not we will make the most of this day – today.