One of the key reasons I wanted to study the parable of the talents is to better understand what the Lord expects of me. I do not usually write about myself, but perhaps this post will be helpful for others.
At a young age, I sensed the Lord calling me to ministry, specifically, a chaplain ministry to truck drivers. As time passed, I continued to struggle with following the call rather than pursue a secular career. For example, I was drawn to law school, and I had opportunities open to work in two law firms. The natural progression of my life early on was toward the legal field.
However, I could not shake the sense of a call to ministry. At the time, I only understood that there was ministry or there was a secular career. The idea that the two worlds could meet was foreign to me.
There was a point when I had an idea of being a lawyer and having time for the chaplain ministry to truck drivers. However, as time progressed, I only understood a call to ministry to mean either a pastor or missionary.
After multiple failed attempts at ministry as a profession, I returned to the first law firm where I was employed. Eventually, I surrendered my future plans to the Lord and remained at that law firm for a number of years. However, as the years passed by, I continued to be nagged by the sense of something more, a ministry I should be doing but did not have time or opportunity to engage in it.
Over the years, I met incredible people who held secular jobs but were excellent church leaders and had a deep understanding of Scripture. I volunteered wherever I could in church or ministries inside and outside the church. Eventually, when I had the opportunity to start my own business, I wanted to dedicate a portion of my business ventures to something more than just making money.
One of my key role models was my grandfather, who was extremely active as a Gideon and in his church. His life and leadership in business were living testimonies of a devout Christian. The two cannot be separated, and he demonstrated what it looks like to be a Christian businessman.
When I started a study of the parable of the talents, my driving question was, “Who is the Lord asking me to be through my business?” My business activities define me and take a major portion of my waking hours during the week. Only in recent years have I come to understand that we serve the Lord through our profession and that simply by being the best I can be is in itself honoring the Lord.
Alongside the parable of the talents, I made it a focus this year to pray Romans 12:1-2 nearly every day. Verse 1 is certainly interesting. “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
Presenting myself as a living and holy sacrifice to the Lord is allowing Him to use me. Opportunities cross my path to be a witness for Christ, to minister to a person in need, or to engage in good works. My pastor interpreted the parable of the talents to include simply being a committed Christian in my field, being honest, and doing what is right.
Verse 1 of Romans 12 also says this is my “spiritual service of worship.” As I have read this verse, honoring the Lord through my occupation is a form of worship of the Lord. Indeed, He has granted me certain talents and skills, and the whole point of the parable of the talents is to maximize that which is entrusted to us. Maximizing that which is entrusted to us is a form of worshipping the Lord and integral to our acceptance before the Lord, righteousness, and personal holiness.
In other words, my occupation is my ministry and is my worship of the Lord. I only wish I had a better understanding of the parable of the talents and Romans 12:1-2 much earlier in life.
To sum up our review of the parable of the talents, obedience to the Lord and faithfulness are the thrust of the parable. The two individuals who doubled the talents entrusted to them in turn trusted in the goodness of the master (the Lord) to reward them. Their obedience and faithfulness are forms of righteousness, holiness, and worship of the Lord. Most importantly, we are not to be afraid of an increase or fruit from our labor and endeavors. Instead, an increase is required to be found faithful. To do otherwise is to be guilty of unfaithfulness and disobedience. The increase does not belong to us. It all belongs to the Lord.
Where we go off track is to presume that both the talents and the increase belong to us and are at our disposal, whereupon we waste the wealth only upon ourselves or upon selfish causes.
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