Matthew 25:15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
Not everyone is created equal. I am not six foot ten. I am five foot nine. My face is not symmetrical, so I am not a ‘looker.’ My scalp has been loosing its ability to live and produce hair for years. It has given up hope of recovery.
But I can build large additions to my home without assistance, except for concrete work. I’m refreshing my knowledge of Hebrew with a course online. I can paint a decent landscape painting. I can do many things others envy.
I also know many of my limitations. I’m fairly unorganized when it comes to the stuff of this life. I tend to live with corners of clutter which drives my wife nuts. I am not the best at keeping the conversation going. Lulls are just fine in my book, while silence makes most people uncomfortable.
Jesus tells a story with a pointed religious lesson about how we handle what we do have and what we are given. Those who are responsible in their conduct are equally rewarded even though they started and ended with different amounts. The one who does nothing gets nothing, or should I say, has his something removed.
I am not a five bag of gold person, an you probably aren’t either. Most of us are average. That is a fact. Despite people telling their kids “you are the best” it just isn’t true. Only one person gets the gold medal at the Olympics in each event. And there are no participation medals handed out at the podium events. And these are all five gold bag people, having received a talent and then worked diligently for years in training for that moment. All but three people go home empty handed.
So what are you going to do with what you have? Are you going to be diligent in the application of it? Or are you going to be a “wicked, lazy” servant?
It can be hard as we get older to continue to be diligent in using what we have been given. This happens for many reasons. Sometimes we just can’t physically do what we used to do. Sometimes the next generations don’t recognize what we have to offer in their own quest to apply what they have received. They want to make their mark in the world, just as we did when we were their age.
But we must continue to be diligent. We should only surrender our bags of gold to the One who gave them to us in the first place. He is the only one who can reward us fairly. If we haven’t been faithful, there is no minimum wage. Everything gets redistributed to others, and you are left with nothing.
We may not be created equal, but we can be diligent with what we do have, and in the end we will receive an equal reward, not based on what we were given, but what we did with what we were given. We each have the ability to be faithful. Will we use that ability?
The Arnold Journey 