Week 49: The Parable of the Talents

We have all been given different talents and gifts. Steph Curry can shoot the ball like nobody in the history of the NBA. Tom Brady defies time with the way he throws the ball. Megan Rapinoe has been a leader of the USWNT for years, and her ability to strike the ball has helped her win two world cups and a FIFA Women's World Player of the Year award.

What I find amazing about all three athletes is that neither of them jumps out at you as being a superior athlete, but they have all been at the top of their sport because they know who they are, they know what they do best, and they maximize what they have been given.

One of my favorite Bible stories is the parable of talents. It can be read fully in Matthew 25:14-30. A man was preparing to go on a journey, and he trusted three of his servants with his property.

To one servant, he gave 5 talents, to another servant, he gave 2 talents, and to the third servant, he gave 1 talent. He gave to each of them the number of talents that matched their ability, and then he went away.

The person with 5 talents went at once and traded with them, and he made 5 more talents.

The person with 2 talents went and made 2 more talents.

The person with 1 talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.

After a long time, the master came back and wanted to get his talents back. He received 10 talents from the first servant, 4 talents from the second servant, and he received the same, 1 talent from the third servant. He praised the first two servants for bringing him more than he gave them. He told him, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter the joy of your master." He was so upset with the 3rd servant because he did nothing with the talent that he was given that he took the servant's 1 talent and gave it to the first servant who already had 10 talents.

The master then said, "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."

We all have been given something; it is our job to figure out what that something is and use it to glorify God and to make this world a better place.

Steph was told that he was too small and too slow to make it in the NBA. Tom Brady was the 199th pick in the 6th round of the 2000 NFL draft. Megan Rapinoe had to overcome two season-ending knee surgeries to make her first World Cup.

We all have our strengths to maximize, and we all have our obstacles to overcome.

This Week

1 - Identify your strengths. What are three things that you do best?

2 - Identify your obstacles. What are 1-3 things that keep you from doing what you do best?

Pray
Our Father. Thank you for the wonderful gifts and strengths that you have blessed me with. Please help me recognize those strengths, and please help me use them to serve others. In Your name I pray, amen.

For a Google doc version of this devo, click here: Week 49 | The Parable of the Talents