Multiply the Talents

In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus tells a parable of a master who entrusts his servants with “talents” before going on a journey. In that day, a talent wasn’t a skill—it was a large sum of money. Each servant was given a portion according to his ability, and the expectation was simple: do something with it. Two servants invested what they received and multiplied it. One buried his in the ground and returned only what he was given.

The meaning is clear. God has entrusted each of us with resources—time, money, strength, opportunities, and abilities—and He expects a return.

We often think of “talents” as natural gifts, but this parable stretches further. Your time is a talent. Your energy is a talent. Your resources are talents. Your opportunities to serve, speak, give, and act—all of these are entrusted to you by God.

The tragedy in the parable isn’t that the third servant lost the talent—it’s that he did nothing with it. Fear, complacency, or indifference kept him from engaging in the work of his master.

Holy Week brings this into sharper focus. Jesus did not bury what was entrusted to Him. He gave everything—His time, His strength, His very life—for our redemption. He poured Himself out completely, holding nothing back.

Now the question turns to us.

If Christ gave all for our salvation, how will we steward what we’ve been given? Are we investing our lives in things that honor Him, or are we burying them in comfort and routine?

Multiplying our talents doesn’t require greatness in the world’s eyes—it requires faithfulness. Small acts done for God’s glory carry eternal weight.

One day, we will give an account of our stewardship as believers, and on that day there are seven words that will underline your faithfulness to God for all of eternity…

“Well done, my good and faithful servant!”