Mat 25:24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
Mat 25:25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
Mat 25:26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
Matthew 25: A Servant’s Heart
I believe there are four kinds of people in this world when it comes to the gifts God has given us. The first is not aware God has given him a gift. The second is aware of the gift but buries and hides it. The third uses the gift but for his own purpose. The fourth uses the gift for the glory of the Lord. I have walked in the shoes of all four types. I have been writing since I was a little girl. For many years, I did not believe in God and did not know He had given me a gift. When I came to believe in God and realized He had given me a gift, I buried and hid it. When I stopped hiding the gift, I used it for my own gratification and purposes. At last, I have discovered the joy of having a servant’s heart and using the gift to bring glory to His name. I still find myself at times forgetting I have been given a gift, or hiding it for a little time, or using it for my own pleasure, but most of the time now I find myself humbling myself before Him and doing my best to use it to love, honor, serve and adore Him.
In the Bible story about the lord, the three servants, and the talents (possessions or money) with which the lord entrusts his servants before he goes away for a while, the two “good and faithful” servants who experience the joy of their lord are the ones who spend their time investing the talents they have been given and accumulating more for their lord. The “wicked and slothful” servant is the one who buries and hides his talent. For years, I missed the deeper significance of this story until the Lord opened wide my eyes. The story is sandwiched into the Bible among story after story about being ready for the Lord’s return and a phenomenal warning to those that call Jesus Lord but do not live their lives as though He really is Lord. The third servant calls his master “lord”, but in his slanderous words against his lord clearly does not have a servant’s heart whereby he realizes, accepts, and puts into practice the fact that the gift he has been given is for the glory of his lord. Though he calls his master “lord”, he describes his master as a “hard man” (not lord) as though his master has no right to reap the harvest of his servants’ labor.
It is not enough to call Jesus Lord. Is He truly Lord of your life? And do you have a servant’s heart whereby you are using the gifts He has given you to bring glory to His name? The joy of the Lord that is found in loving and serving the Lord with all one’s heart is immeasurable.
Mat 25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
Mat 25:15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
Mat 25:16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
Mat 25:17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
Mat 25:18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
Mat 25:19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
Mat 25:20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
Mat 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Mat 25:22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
Mat 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
Mat 25:24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
Mat 25:25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
Mat 25:26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
Mat 25:27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
Mat 25:28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
Mat 25:29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
Mat 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.