MUCH ADO ABOUT TALENTS

[Nancy Phillips]

As we all know, the Messiah had many talents. In Matthew 25:14-30, he told a parable describing the future inhabitants of the Kingdom of Heaven. However, there is a popular misconception he was exclusively referring to Christians. As we will soon discover; he was not! Long story short; before going on a long journey, a (wealthy) man entrusted three of his servants with various amounts of money. Unto the first servant he gave five talēnts; unto the second servant, two; and unto the third, a single talent. While the lord was away, the first servant invested his five talēnts in a business transaction and made five more in return. The second servant did pretty much the same thing; but to a lesser (two talēnt) degree. But the third servant dug a whole in the ground and buried his talēnt.

When the lord returned, each servant gave an account. The first presented the five original coins and the five coin profit. The lord was very pleased. The second servant presented the two original coins and his two coin profit. The lord was equally pleased. In essence, the first two servants performed equally well with respect to their ability. Finally, the third servant dug up the money he buried; presented it to the lord with no profit, gain or interest. The lord was vexed! The servant, severely punished. There are those who honestly believe calling themselves “Christians” guarantees them a seat in the Kingdom. According to this parable and others like it … they are sadly mistaken!

ACTIONS? LOUDER THAN WORDS EVERY TIME!
It appears the Messiah was more interested in what people did with their talents versus the talent they called themselves. As a matter of fact, the “Christians” in the Messiah’s day were called “Scribes and Pharisees” and he argued with them on a daily basis. Why? Because they were a self-righteous, self-centered, self-absorbed and greedy minority who cloaked themselves with religion and condemned everyone not like them. This basically included the vast majority of the people whom they considered, Sinners (i.e. not of the Scribe or Pharisee religious establishment). They were also the people who called the Messiah a Socialist and Community Organizer (i.e. who helped the poor and needy) … as thought these were bad things.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not on some sort’ov a Christian bashing mission. It just pains me to see striking similarities in today’s Christians and yesterday’s Scribes and Pharisees. What does the typical Christian do with their talents? On a very large scale, they invest a lot of time, effort and energy into condemning homosexuals to eternal damnation! Just last year, two very large Christian organizations invested MILLIONS into preventing the legalization of same-sex marriage. Who knew they had that much money just sitting around? Prior to that venture, did it occur to either group to invest that talent into HELPING THE POOR AND NEEDY? I don’t mean Soup Kitchens and I’m not putting them down. I mean ATTACKING THE CAUSES that create the poor and needy.

THE SAD TRUTH
Then again, the poor and needy are a major necessity for acquiring GOVERNMENT GRANTS for religious organizations! So theoretically, it would not be in our best interest to rid the world of them. However, there are no Government Grants that support helping homosexuals. By all means let’s rid the world of them, instead! But politics aside, does attacking homosexuality resemble doubling your talents in an honest and fair win-win exchange where all parties involved benefit? Or does it resemble burying your talent in the ground; which prevents new opportunities from emerging? Anti-Gay Advocates always look angry, mean-spirited, hateful, hostile and violent. None of which are among the Fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23: Love, Joy, Peace, Long-Suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness and Temperance. There is no sub-text that says: But it’s OK to express hostility to homosexuals.

Unfortunately, many of those angry, mean-spirited, hateful, hostile and violent people call themselves “Christians.” And in many cases, they honestly think they are! But who are they really fooling? When they stand before the Lord and say, “I spent the talēnts you gave me hunting down and persecuting homosexuals” they will be surprised after they are deemed “Unprofitable Servants” and casted into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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