This week’s gospel is, yet again, presented as a parable of the Kingdom – a glimpse into the right order of things in the realised Kingdom. This parable is a familiar one and is often used as an encouragement to make the most of the gifts and skills that the listeners possess. It is rarely, however, placed in its context as part of the full Chapter 25 lesson about the time of waiting and preparation for the coming of the Lord and the Christian life.

In this parable a very wealthy master entrusts his considerable assets to his servants to manage in his absence. The three servants were allocated money, ‘each in proportion to his ability’. The emphasis of the parable is on what each servant did with the funds they were allotted. They were charged with managing the money in the place of their master; acting in their master’s place to further develop his wealth.

Like all of Jesus’ parables, this one has a sting in the tail. Although the third servant has done nothing illegal or corrupt, he is very harshly dealt with. His crime is laziness! He was given a great opportunity to demonstrate his abilities and yet he shied away and returned to his master exactly what had been entrusted to him, unimproved. The author of Matthew’s gospel uses this parable to shock the audience out of complacency. They cannot rely solely on the promised return of the Lord, they must continue to act on Jesus’ message and work to bring about the Kingdom in their own lives. Those who fail to act, leaving everything to the work of God, are as bad as the lazy servant who failed to grasp an extraordinary opportunity.

To relate the message in the parable to our world: What talent do you have that you could use to make a difference in other people’s lives?