You would think I could start this week with the announcement that we survived the trip to Africa and that we are well and happy and back to normal. Except that we aren’t. Well, we are well, I suppose. But not all here. La Donna is gone again, left last night for Indy and a District UMW officer training event. Supposedly coming back tonight. Rhys is gone on a debate trip, I took him to school at 5:30am! For heaven’s sake. Will be back tonight too.
Anyway, all of that is so upsetting that Maddie got up before noon on a Saturday. Whoa. I know. Amazing, right? End of the world is in sight. And the crazy dogs won’t settle. Which might have as much to do with the population of geese inhabiting the back yard as missing anyone, but who really knows what goes through those less than normal canine minds?
All in all, it seems a good day to go back to bed. Despite the glorious sunshine outside, it just seems safer to go off and dig a hole. And crawl in it. And pull it in after you. Which is more or less exactly what happens in our Gospel passage for this week. Take a look:
Matthew 25:14-30 "For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; 15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. 17 In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. 18 But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, 'Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.' 21 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' 22 And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, 'Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.' 23 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' 24 Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' 26 But his master replied, 'You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. 29 For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 30 As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
Let me rush to say that this is not necessarily Jesus’ financial plan for dealing with a lean economy. Just so we can be clear about that. Yes, the parable deals with money, frighteningly large sums of money. There aren’t many “masters” who would go off and leave 15 to 60 years worth of wages in the hands of the lowest on the organizational chart. It just wouldn’t make much sense.
But then, come to think of it, that was the reputation that Jesus had in general. His ideas didn’t make sense. At least in the “real world,” the world that we have created, the human society with its emphasis on profit and security. The kind of living that He calls us to doesn’t make sense.
Unless you remember how the story starts “For it is as if ...” Ah, that gives it all away doesn’t it? OK, sorry, you need the context. Chapter twenty five of the Gospel of Matthew is a series of parables of the Kingdom of God. Verse one of the chapter begins “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like this.” So the “it” of verse fourteen is the Kingdom. Not this world that we have created in our image, but the one that God created in God’s image.
So, then, what kind of behavior is fit for the Kingdom of Heaven? How ought we live in this life so that we can not only experience the glories of heaven right now (at least in some small way) but also point others to something bigger than right now, something beyond?
First, I think the parable tells us to recognize our status. We are servants, slaves even, to the one who created all things. What we have is ours to use as seems good to us (notice there are not instructions as to what they are to do with what they were given), but as stewards and not owners. We take care of, not just use, all the resources we are given.
Secondly, I can’t help but think Jesus used the amounts he used for more than comic effect. I know exaggeration is a valuable tool for humor. I’ve told you that about a billion times! But I also think the hidden message here is that we have been given, whether seemingly large or small is a treasure beyond our imagination. We are blessed, if not always in material things, then certainly in life and beauty and community and hope. We are given command of a staggering amount. As parents or grandparents you can’t help but be aware of that. As those in relationship with a loved one, you can’t help but know the preciousness of this life that is now entwined with yours.
But I would have to say that the parable’s dominant message is “Don’t live in fear.” Or maybe better, don’t be afraid to love. Don’t be afraid to risk reaching out. Don’t be afraid to serve and follow and care. I’ve often wondered what the Master would have said to the first two if their financial enterprise hadn’t been so successful. If they had come back and said, we’ll I tried my best, but the economy was tanking and the venture which seemed to have potential just didn’t find its niche in the market. But I gave it all I had. What would the master have said?
“Well done, good and trustworthy servant.” You notice that the commendation isn’t about profit, about result, it is about trustworthiness. Or in other versions it is about faithfulness. I think the master was rewarding the willingness to risk more than the income that resulted. The one who failed was the one who didn’t want to try. The one who went and dug a hole and then sat on it. Sure it was safe. Sure it was the an accepted practice. Sure in a risky age prudence makes earthly sense. But crawling in a hole doesn’t seem to be a proper response to the treasure we’ve been given. Not if we want to enter into the joy that is on offer.
So, excuse me, we have to go bark at geese.
Shalom,
Derek
Anyway, all of that is so upsetting that Maddie got up before noon on a Saturday. Whoa. I know. Amazing, right? End of the world is in sight. And the crazy dogs won’t settle. Which might have as much to do with the population of geese inhabiting the back yard as missing anyone, but who really knows what goes through those less than normal canine minds?
All in all, it seems a good day to go back to bed. Despite the glorious sunshine outside, it just seems safer to go off and dig a hole. And crawl in it. And pull it in after you. Which is more or less exactly what happens in our Gospel passage for this week. Take a look:
Matthew 25:14-30 "For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; 15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. 17 In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. 18 But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, 'Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.' 21 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' 22 And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, 'Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.' 23 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' 24 Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' 26 But his master replied, 'You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. 29 For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 30 As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
Let me rush to say that this is not necessarily Jesus’ financial plan for dealing with a lean economy. Just so we can be clear about that. Yes, the parable deals with money, frighteningly large sums of money. There aren’t many “masters” who would go off and leave 15 to 60 years worth of wages in the hands of the lowest on the organizational chart. It just wouldn’t make much sense.
But then, come to think of it, that was the reputation that Jesus had in general. His ideas didn’t make sense. At least in the “real world,” the world that we have created, the human society with its emphasis on profit and security. The kind of living that He calls us to doesn’t make sense.
Unless you remember how the story starts “For it is as if ...” Ah, that gives it all away doesn’t it? OK, sorry, you need the context. Chapter twenty five of the Gospel of Matthew is a series of parables of the Kingdom of God. Verse one of the chapter begins “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like this.” So the “it” of verse fourteen is the Kingdom. Not this world that we have created in our image, but the one that God created in God’s image.
So, then, what kind of behavior is fit for the Kingdom of Heaven? How ought we live in this life so that we can not only experience the glories of heaven right now (at least in some small way) but also point others to something bigger than right now, something beyond?
First, I think the parable tells us to recognize our status. We are servants, slaves even, to the one who created all things. What we have is ours to use as seems good to us (notice there are not instructions as to what they are to do with what they were given), but as stewards and not owners. We take care of, not just use, all the resources we are given.
Secondly, I can’t help but think Jesus used the amounts he used for more than comic effect. I know exaggeration is a valuable tool for humor. I’ve told you that about a billion times! But I also think the hidden message here is that we have been given, whether seemingly large or small is a treasure beyond our imagination. We are blessed, if not always in material things, then certainly in life and beauty and community and hope. We are given command of a staggering amount. As parents or grandparents you can’t help but be aware of that. As those in relationship with a loved one, you can’t help but know the preciousness of this life that is now entwined with yours.
But I would have to say that the parable’s dominant message is “Don’t live in fear.” Or maybe better, don’t be afraid to love. Don’t be afraid to risk reaching out. Don’t be afraid to serve and follow and care. I’ve often wondered what the Master would have said to the first two if their financial enterprise hadn’t been so successful. If they had come back and said, we’ll I tried my best, but the economy was tanking and the venture which seemed to have potential just didn’t find its niche in the market. But I gave it all I had. What would the master have said?
“Well done, good and trustworthy servant.” You notice that the commendation isn’t about profit, about result, it is about trustworthiness. Or in other versions it is about faithfulness. I think the master was rewarding the willingness to risk more than the income that resulted. The one who failed was the one who didn’t want to try. The one who went and dug a hole and then sat on it. Sure it was safe. Sure it was the an accepted practice. Sure in a risky age prudence makes earthly sense. But crawling in a hole doesn’t seem to be a proper response to the treasure we’ve been given. Not if we want to enter into the joy that is on offer.
So, excuse me, we have to go bark at geese.
Shalom,
Derek
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