Freedom To Try

Read: Matthew 25:14-30

Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Matthew 25:24-25

IN WORD

A master entrusted his wealth to three of his servants and then went on a journey. The servants didn’t receive equal amounts because they didn’t have equal abilities. Apparently they didn’t have equal attitudes either. Two doubled their portion of the master’s wealth by investing it because they were comfortable with a little risk. One went into preservation mode and hid his portion in the ground. And each brought the results to the master upon his return.

The two who doubled their portions received a “well done,” a share in the master’s joy, and more privilege and responsibility. The one who returned only what had been given to him was rebuked, disappointed, and stripped of future privileges and responsibilities. It’s yet another sobering message in a series of them. The master’s return will be thrilling for some and devastating for others. Some will rejoice forever, and some will weep forever. The stakes are exceedingly high.

Remarkably, each servant found his perception of the master to be true. Those who saw him as magnanimous and gracious experienced his magnanimity and grace. The one who saw him as hard and foreboding experienced a harsh response. And Jesus portrays this servant not as a sympathetic figure but a wicked one. He represents all whose view of God is harsher than it needs to be.

IN DEED

It’s a little ironic to read an intimidating parable about the need to see God as kind, but that’s essentially what this is. The only way to thrive in His Kingdom is to feel the freedom to take risks of faith, seek ways to invest and grow His Kingdom, and leverage whatever gifts and resources He has given for His purposes. He cultivates our creative use of what He has given and looks forward to the celebration of increase. We can too.

ADDITIONAL READING: 2 Corinthians 5:6-10

A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.

JOHN A. SHEDD