November 3, 2005
Matthew 25:14-30
The Servant In The Middle
The parable of the talents is one of the best known of all Jesus’ teachings. Its point is virtually impossible to miss.
The master entrusted his servants with talents (a significant amount of money in the ancient world – one talent was the rough equivalent of 15 years wages for the average worker). The servant who received five talents was wise; he invested his talents and doubled their value. The servant who buried his talent in the ground was foolish, and thereby lost what little he had.
Lots of lessons here:
· be good stewards of your ability – use it or lose it;
· * don’t be afraid to try;
· * never say, “I have so little, my contribution won’t matter;
* people may not be equal in talent but they can surely be equal in effort.
You can probably think of a few others you have heard.
Regardless of the lesson though, the point is always obvious – those who follow Jesus are to be like unto the wise, five-talent servant and not like the one-talent dummy.
Case closed.
OK.
But there is one aspect of this story that troubles me if we close the case so quickly.
What about the one in the middle, the two-talent guy?
Is he superfluous?
For that matter, were any of the characters in Jesus’ stories superfluous? I do not think so.
Yes, there was the wise, multi-talented servant as an example of excellent stewardship and a foolish, single- talented servant as an example of poor stewardship. But also this one in the middle, a person with a lot less than the “super,” five-talent servant but one with a lot more than the hapless, one-talent servant. In my humble opinion, the one in the middle, is there for an important purpose.
Let us check him out.
What do we know about the two-talent servant?
Well, obviously he is somewhere in between the two others in terms of the master’s faith in his abilities. He has been entrusted with two talents – twice as much as the foolish servant. But he is only entrusted with two, which is just 40 percent as much as the wise, five-talent guy. Perhaps the master thought the one in the middle had some potential, but he was not considered likely to be a standout performer.
And what did the two-talent servant do with his two talents?
He doubled them, and wound up returning four talents to the boss. His performance was, proportionately, on a par with that of the five-talent servant. He did just as well as the shining-star example in the parable.
Frankly, although the parable does not say it, I suspect that the master was at least somewhat surprised when he received the four talents from the servant in the middle. We can assume that the master was astute – that is why he is the master in the story. He probably expected the excellent performance from the five-talent servant. He also probably expected worthless performance from the one-talent servant although he had deliberately entrusted the man with a talent in order to give him an opportunity to prove himself otherwise. But the two-talent servant’s performance was better than expected. If he had brought back, say three talents, that would have been a predictable, good showing for him. But performing at the same level as the top guy – now that was something! When the master said “Well done, good and trustworthy slave…” to the one in the middle, I suspect his congratulation was just a little louder and just a little heartier than his comments to the other two.
I really like this servant in the middle.
I like him because he reminds me of who I might be able to be more than the “top servant” does.
The last servant warns me of who I want to not be.
The “top servant” sets a pretty lofty goal.
But the middle servant shows me how I can be as I attempt to use what God has given me.
Maybe he can be an example to you, too.
You see – most of us are like the servant in the middle – the one who received two talents.
Most of us are two-talent servants.
We are not fools, idiots, or people who waste the riches of God – like the one who received the one talent and buried it.
Most of us realize that God has entrusted us with a talent or ability to use — , so we don’t try to foolishly hide, and completely fail to utilize what God has given into our care.
On the other hand we are not superstars of the faith.
We may not have as much ability as some – like the two talent servant was not given as much as the five talent servant was. Few of us are going to become Saint Pauls or Martin Luthers, or Mother Teresas. We are not likely to conduct crusades where millions are saved nor build cathedrals to God’s glory, nor offer our lives up in martyrdom on some foreign field for Christ.
We are somewhere in the middle as far as out abilities to serve God.
Somewhere smack in between the heights and depths is where most of us live,
The good news is, that is exactly where we can faithfully serve God. Not only can we serve, but we can serve well. Proportionately, we can utilize what has been entrusted to us just as effectively as the crusade conductors, the cathedral builders, the martyrs.
But – we have to try.
We have to use what God has given us.
We have to be like the servant in the middle – the one given 2 talents — who took what the master gave him – and used it – even if it was not as much as was given to the one who was given the five talents – and served the master well with what he had.
But – you might protest – the little I have is not much – I can’t make a difference.
Yes – you can. But you have to try.
This illustration I came across from the baseball record books gives an example of how trying is better than not trying.
In 1915 Ty Cobb set a record for stolen bases — 96. The record is now owned by Ricky Henderson – but Cobb’s record stood for years.
Seven years after Cobb set his record, Max Carey of the Pittsburgh Pirates became second best with 51 stolen bases. Does this mean that Cobb was twice as good as Carey, his closest rival?
Look at the facts:
Cobb made 134 attempts, Carey, 53.
Cobb failed 38 times; Carey only failed twice.
Cobb succeeded 96 times, Carey only 51 times.
Cobb’s average was only 71 percent.
Carey’s average was 96 percent.
Carey’s average was much better than Cobb’s.
Cobb tried 81 more times than Carey. But here is the key: His 81 additional tries produced 44 more stolen bases. Cobb risked failure 81 more times in one season than his closest rival and Cobb was considered the best base runner in baseball for years.
Why?
Because he tried.
The servant in the middle – the one with the 2 talents – may not have had as much as the one with the five talents – and had only 1 more than the one with the 1 talent – but he did what he could with what he had. He tried – and the master praised him.
Yea – I like that guy – the servant in the middle – the one with the 2 talents.
He reminds me that I may not be able to do great and magnificent things – but I can do something – and the something that I can do can make a difference for God in the world.
Instead of standing on the base like so many base runners in baseball – I can try – I can risk – like Ty Cobb – and with God’s help I can succeed.
You can, too.
All of us can.
We all can use what God has given us – and make a difference for God in the world.
Never say you don’t have enough to make a difference – because you do.
Never say you can’t make a difference – because you can.
Never say the problems are too big and your abilities too small – because the problems are not too big – and your abilities are not too small.
The only way the problems can be too big is if you let them be.
The only way your abilities can be too small is if you don’t use them – don’t risk them – don’t do what you can.
I read not long ago about a girl named Christen. Her parents gave her the name Christen – spelled with a “Ch” instead of a “K” – so she would always remember that she belonged to Christ.
On a trip to New York, Christen learned something about what it really means to belong to Christ – and to use what God has given you – no matter how little it may be – to show God to others.
She and her dad went to New York City the December she was 15 as a Christmas present. They had a wonderful time in New York City – shopping, having dinner together, and going to a Broadway show. The weather was bitter cold, and Christen was wearing her new black and white checkered winter coat her dad bought her. She put her other winter coat into a shopping bag and wore the new coat.
As Christen and her father walked along, they came to an intersection – and there was a young woman standing there, holding a cup and begging. She was a thin girl, dressed only in jeans and a light cotton sweater. She shivered and her skin looked gray from the cold. Christen’s dad took out some bills and coins from his pocket and dropped them into the cup. Then they crossed the street. When they got to the other side, Christen said to her dad, “Dad, we have to do something for her.”
“What can we do?” he asked.
“I want to give her my coat.” Christen said.
“Your new coat?” her Dad asked.
“Dad! She needs it more than I do and, anyway, I’ve got my old one right here!”
Maybe it wasn’t a lot – but it meant a lot to the woman who was cold.
Maybe you are like the servant with the 2 talents. Not as much as others may have – but enough to make a difference if you will risk it – use it for God’s glory.
We all can use what God has given us – and make a difference for God in the world.
Never say you don’t have enough to make a difference – because you do.
Never say you can’t make a difference – because you can.
Never say the problems are too big and your abilities too small – because the problems are not too big – and your abilities are not too small.
The only way the problems can be too big is if you let them be.
The only way your abilities can be too small is if you don’t use them – don’t risk them – don’t do what you can.
Even the servant in the middle – the one with the 2 talents – had enough to make a difference. He didn’t let the fact that he didn’t have as much as the servant with the 5 talents stop him from doing what he could – and he made a difference.
You can use what you have – even if it seems like a little – and make a difference in the world for God’s glory.
Use what God has given you – serve God with what you have — and see what can be done.
You might be amazed at how God can bless what you do – and work through what you can do.
Let’s all be like the servant in the middle – who used what he had – and served his master well.
AMEN
