In order to fully utilize the talents so generously given to us we gotta take risks; we gotta be brave; and we gotta trust!


(press play button to listen to the message)

Matthew 25:14-30

“For it is like a landowner, who was going on a journey, summoned his workers and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid the money.

“After a long time the landowner returned home and settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘You entrusted me with five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ The landowner said to him, ‘Well done, you good and trustworthy worker; you have been dependable in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; come, share my joy.’

“And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘You entrusted me with two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ The landowner said to him, ‘Well done, you good and faithful worker; since you were dependable in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; come share my joy.’

“Finally the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Knowing you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’

“But the landowner exclaimed, ‘You worthless, lazy lout! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? 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. So, you there! Take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents.

“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. As for this worthless one, throw him into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Courage
by Marie Howe

I’m helping my little girl slide down the pole next to the slide-and-bridge
construction
when a little boy walks up and says, Why are you helping that young person
do something that’s too dangerous for her?

Why do you say it’s too dangerous? I say
And he says, She’s too young.
And I say, How old are you? And he says, four and a half.
And I say, Well, she’s three and a half

When he comes back a little later he says, I’ll show you how it’s done, and
climbs up the ladder and slides down the pole.
Then he says, She’s too young. What happens is that when you get older you
get braver.
Then he pauses and looks at me, Are you brave?

Brave? I say, looking at him.
Are you afraid of Parasite 2 he says?
And I say, What’s Parasite 2?
And he walks away slowly, shaking his head.