Talents

Matthew 25:21 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. Come and share your master's happiness!"

I attended a workshop with a relatively famous personality who specializes in psychology a few days ago. He mentioned that all human beings have these four primary needs:

1. A need to live
2. A need to be loved
3. A need to feel important
4. A need for variety

So yesterday I was driving and thinking about these "needs". And then I started to think about what is the problem when I change the "needs" to "wants".

There is an old saying that goes "The pasture is always greener on the other side." I'm not sure if this is applicable to you, but as I searched within, I realized that I have always been looking at "the other side". I saw the cars which are parked at the basement of my office and I looked. I saw the hairstyle of those celebrities on TV and I looked. I saw the houses in Damansara Heights and I looked. I saw the laptops at Starbucks and I looked.

What I missed here is that I forgot to look at what I have. I kept looking at what others have, and I have neglected the things and people which I "have".

In the parable of the talents, the man who's going to be away called his servants and "entrusted his property to them" (Matthew 25:14). Similarly, we have been entrusted with God's "property". Our physical body, our family members, our friends, our material possessions, our abilities and capabilities, everything. But are we doing justice to what God has entrusted us with?Image linked from therightattitude.org

• Are we taking care of our physical well-being?
• Do we care enough for our family members?
• Have we been spending time with our friends? (not acquiantances, but true friends)
• Do we take care of our material possessions, no matter how old it is, or even if it's not as luxurious as what our friends have?
• Are we putting our abilities and capabilities to good use?
• Have we been neglecting anything that is already present in our lives?

I believe that besides teaching us on managing our "talents", this parable also teaches us how to have an abundant life. The pursuit of an abundant life is not trying to attain what other people have; the pursuit of abundant life is maximizing what we already have.

Amen?

Below are some other views on the Parable of the Talents.
The Parable of the Talents by Steve Pavlina
On Bible.org by Bob Deffinbaugh
On The Crossroad Initiatives by Marcellino D'Ambrosio