Bible Time
It is amazing what I have learned from teaching
“simple” Bible stories in Bible class.
A lot of times when we read children’s stories from
the Bible, I think we almost read them like we are reading “Good Night Moon”
for the 100th time. I want to
encourage you to focus on what you are reading and see what you can glean each
time you read a Bible story.
The first story I want to talk about is “The Parable
of the Five Talents”.
Mat 25:14 "For it will be
like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them
his property.
Mat 25:15 To one he gave five
talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then
he went away.
Mat 25:16 He who had received
the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents
more.
Mat 25:17 So also he who had
the two talents made two talents more.
Mat 25:18 But he who had
received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.
Mat 25:19 Now after a long time
the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
Mat 25:20 And he who had
received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying,
'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.'
Mat 25:21 His master said to
him, '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.'
Mat 25:22 And he also who had
the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents;
here I have made two talents more.'
Mat 25:23 His master said to
him, '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.'
Mat 25:24 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,
Mat 25:25 so I was afraid, and
I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.'
Mat 25:26 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?
Mat 25:27 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.
Mat 25:28 So take the talent
from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.
Mat 25:29 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.
In Matthew 25:25, the
servant with one talent admitted he was afraid.
It was at that point I realized there had been times I was afraid to use
talents that I had. I was afraid that someone would not like how I was using it
or complain and say they could do a better job. So I would talk myself out of
using my talent. In essence I would hide it.
I then began to see
that my talents are not about me. They are about doing things for God. I should
not care if people complain. My job is to use the talents God gave me to the
best of my ability and he will take care of the rest.
