The Parable of Ten Gold Coins

Matthew 25:14-30

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

“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!’

“The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

“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!’

“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

“‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Called To Be Good Stewards Of What Is God’s, Not Ours

Jesus, the Master, has promised to one day return.  Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told His disciples, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:3).

Jesus has allowed us to participate with Him in His ministry as stewards of the things He values most. In this parable He makes it clear that He wants us to see these things as a borrowed investment that ultimately belongs to Him, and that we will be accountable to return these to Him upon His return.

Not Merely Financial

The third servant could have gone out and squandered the coins the master entrusted to him.  He didn’t.  It wasn’t as if he wasted them.  No, the issue is that he chose to not multiply them.

God has given each of us the gift of TIME, TALENTS, and TREASURES to steward in the anticipation of the Master’s promised return.  And His instruction is that we will manage them so that the return on each is worthy of belonging to the Master.

• Time.  How we spend our time is indicative of where we’ve placed our priorities.  Every human being is given 24 hours in each day.  No more. No less.  Am I using the time I’ve been given for eternal purposes – loving God and loving people – or is my time wrapped up in ways that have no lasting investment in the souls of people?
• Talents.  How we use the talents, gifts, and abilities we have been blessed with will tell others who or what we worship.  If we perform for the approval of others, we are bowing down to the god of approval.  If we perform to achieve personal gain, we are worshipping at the alter of success and achievement.  If we perform to bring glory to God, and we do so with a heart that has a  resemblance to the heart of Jesus, we are worshiping the One True God, and making an investment that pleases Him.
• Treasure.  How we manage the material resources we’ve been blessed with will be an indicator of where the allegiance of our heart truly lies.  In Matthew 6:21, Jesus says, “Where your treasure, there your heart is also.”  It’s impossible to separate the two.  In order to grow in a Christ-like heart, we must also grow in our willingness to manage our material and financial resources in ways that reflect Biblical principles, and are utilized to bring glory to the God who provided them.

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