While people
were listening to Jesus speak, he proceeded to tell a parable because he was
near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God would appear there
immediately. So he said, “A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain
the kingship for himself and then to return. He called ten of his servants and
gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I
return.’ His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after
him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ But when he returned
after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given
the money, to learn what they had gained by trading. The first came forward and
said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’ He replied, ‘Well
done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take
charge of ten cities.’ Then the second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir,
has earned five more.’ And to this servant too he said, ‘You, take charge of
five cities.’ Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold
coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you, because
you are a demanding man; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest
what you did not plant.’ He said to him, ‘With your own words I shall condemn
you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding man, taking up what I did
not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant; why did you not put my money
in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’ And to
those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the
servant who has ten.’ But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’
He replied, ‘I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the
one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Now as for those enemies
of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before
me.’”
After he had
said this, he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.
+ + + + + + +
Reflection:
What are you
presently doing with the talent/s that the good Lord has given you? Are you
using to further God’s kingdom in this world or you’re only using it to advance
your own interest in this world?
We are taught
by our faith that all blessings that come our way are God given. Thus, we have
a responsibility to pay it forward specially to those who are in need. Whatever
these blessings are, be it material blessings or intellectual blessings we have
to share it. We should not keep it to ourselves only we have to share it. For its
only in sharing what we have that we would receive more blessings from the Lord.
The third
servant was not productive like the first and second because he was fearful of
the nobleman. Not only that he was fearful; I think he was also lazy and
selfish that’s why he simply stored the gold coin in a handkerchief and left it
there until it was taken back by the nobleman.
The feelings
of fear, being lazy and selfish are the qualities that paralyze a person from
becoming a more productive servant of the Lord. If we want to serve and share
in the mission of Jesus we need to discard these negative traits. We also need
to always have a positive outlook in life. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
