After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five... His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.”
The man with the two talents also came. “Master,” he said, “You entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.” His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.”
Then the man who had received the one talent came. “Master,” he said, “I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.”
His master replied, “You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.” - Matthew 25:14-30
We are not only called to be prepared to serve but we are also expected to serve diligently when we are called. God will never give you more to do than you are capable of handling and he will not expect more from you than faithfulness – but he does demand faithfulness.
Prayer: Lord, help me to always serve you well. Amen.
Principle: God will never give you more to do than you are capable of handling and he will not expect more from you than faithfulness – but he does demand faithfulness.
Affirmation: I am careful not to let the fear of loss override my commitment to faithful and diligent service.
Reflection: This parable is about faithful and diligent service. Notice this; the master was not demanding that the one talent man produce like the five talent man. He was just calling him to serve diligently. Good people who are not faithful servants do not receive the master's best. Read the rest of this story in Matthew, verses 28-30, to see the attitude the master has about those who fail to serve well.