Former Blackout Artist

Then the man who had received one bag of gold 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 gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.” Matthew 25:24-25

When I read the parable of the talents, I usually pass right over the men with five and two. Their stories are simple really – they received a lot, they worked with what they had, and things turned out well. But the one-talent servant has always felt more relatable to me… maybe because he’s the one who struggled with something most of us understand all too well – fear. He didn’t rebel or squander anything. He didn’t gamble it away or treat it carelessly. He simply hid it because he was afraid. His example, to me, hits much closer to home.

Because honestly – I realize how easy it is for me to do the same thing. Most of us aren’t out there intentionally resisting God, trying to sabotage His plans for us. We’re just trying to keep from failing, from looking foolish, from stepping into something where the outcome isn’t guaranteed. And when that fear takes over, doing nothing feels safer than doing something. Everything is predictable and quiet. No risk, no embarrassment, no loss.

But also – no faith, no growth, no movement.

The hardest part is that the master actually trusted him. Even one talent was an enormous amount. It wasn’t like the one-talent servant was overlooked or forgotten. He was given something valuable and meaningful, and yet he convinced himself that it was better off buried in the ground than used.

Sometimes I catch myself doing that in subtle ways. Hesitating to speak when I feel prompted, holding back from serving because I’m afraid I won’t be up to the challenge, or waiting for the “perfect” moment that never seems to come. I bury things. Not with a shovel, but with delay, with self-doubt, with a long list of reasons why “now” isn’t a good time.

Maybe that’s part of what Jesus is addressing here. The real danger wasn’t taking a risk and failing – the danger was not taking a risk at all. The faithful servants were commended just as much for taking action as they were for the results of their actions.

Ultimately, God isn’t asking us for brilliance or perfection. I think He’s just inviting us to trust Him enough to step out in faith instead of staying in the safety of the familiar.

What has He entrusted you with today?
How might He be calling you to use the talents He’s given you?

“Unless there is an element of risk in our exploits for God, there is no need for faith.” – Hudson Taylor, Christian Missionary (1832-1905)