Talents, Gifts, & Preachers

Welcome our guest blogger and the website manager, Matt Davenport.

I am a writer. Within that capacity, I often find spiritual answers and understandings through story telling. So I love to use the parables to teach. You will, no doubt, recognize this one. I know this is a bit long, but it's worth your time.

A CEO brought his three best managers into his office.

“I’m taking some significant time off,” he explained. “You each know how this company works. We have three distinct divisions.” He pointed to one. “You are taking over Division One. You have the skills and the know-how. And I have assigned Mr. Ability to help you.” The man nodded and thanked him.

He pointed to the next man. “You will run Division Two. Mr. Apt will be at you side to help.” The second man nodded and thanked him.

Then he turned to the third man. “And you will be in charge of Division Three. Mr. Capable will be there to help in any way you wish.” The third man nodded, smiling, and thanked him.

The CEO gathered his things and left.

Seven months later, he returned. Refreshed and feeling good, he made his way to the elevator and up to his top floor office. Then he had the secretary call in the three leaders of his company.

They arrived and the secretary sent the first man in. “Well, I am back. Give me a report,” the boss said without fanfare.

“Well, I had a sit down with all the leaders and we brainstormed how to get things going. In the end, we hired over 500 more employees, and the division is in better shape than ever. Mr. Ability was a tremendous help.”

“Well done,” the CEO said. “Have a seat.”

The second man was sent in. “I’m back. Give me a report,” the chief said without hesitation.

“Mr. Apt and I worked well together, sir,” he smiled. “We had to hire 250 more employees to keep up. Division Two is so busy, our sales force is needing a vacation.”

“Good.” The manager was told to sit and the next was called in.

“I’m back. Give me a report.”

The last manager looked back from the CEO to the other two sitting on the couch. “Yes…” he stammered. He looked back to the boss again. “Well, I know how hard you have worked, sir, to get this company where it is. So I was especially careful with the division you put me over.

“I knew if anything went wrong, you’d have my hide, so I ran the numbers.” He grinned. “I looked at the salaries of myself, Mr. Capable, and the crew at the division. I realized the best way to guarantee that there would be no loss was to close the division and lay everyone off while you were gone. Then, when you get back, I could hand it back to…”

“YOU WHAT?” The CEO rose to his feet, his freshly tanned face turning a deep shade of red.

“Huh?” The manager was confused, having been certain that he had done the right thing. In fact, he was sure the other two were in trouble for hiring all those new employees. That was a lot of money spent.

“You closed the doors? To save money?” The bosses voice rang across the big office. He leaned decidedly across the desk and set his face as close as he could to the Division Three manager. “Let me guess, you fired Mr. Capable?”

“Well, I didn’t really fire him.” He glanced at the other managers, their faces as pale white as the bosses face was red. He looked back at the business chief. “I mean, I laid him off, but I understand he was able to get work with…”

“You worthless…” The executive stammered. “You bum. You are so fired that you will never work in this city again. Do you understand?”

In all likelihood, you know this short story as a modern version of the Parable of the Talents in the Bible. (Matthew 25) It’s really not too much of a stretch to explain this via modern terminology. Let me see, however, if I can truly “offend” you with another version.

God called three preachers to Him. They knelt and honored Him. “I have something I need you three to do,” He said.

“To each of you I give my Presence-the Holy Spirit, the Fruits and the Gifts of the Spirit. Wisdom and understanding.” He went on. “And to be a Gift to My Son’s Church. Seek me, know Me, build your connection to Me through prayer, study of My Word, and worship. All this will lead you to understand what you are to do and to walk in the ability to do it.”

They each smiled graciously. “Go forth.”

They left.

A lifetime later, they returned. God smiled and spoke to the first one. “You have done much. Please tell me all that has happened.”

The man smiled. “Your generosity in gifting and pouring out upon me has been such a blessing. I gather with about 20 people now. But it’s not a church. It’s not a Bible study. It’s more. They are not just people I minister to, they are my friends. My family.”

“Well done.” God said.

He looked towards the next one. “And how are you?”

The man smiled, fighting back a tear. “I am broken, my Lord. The Gifts you gave me have led to many being healed. The broken are lifted up. Ones without food, are fed. Hearts have been changed. I have fallen in love with your people. Especially the young. I get to bring You to those who have nothing. And You give them everything.”

God smiled even broader. “Well done.”

He looked at the third. Who was shrinking back. “Hello, my child.”

The man raised his head and looked at God. “Hello, Father.”

“Can you tell me what is happening with you?”

“You are God. You already know,” the man replied.

“Yes, I do. But that does not build relationship.” He smiled and reached out to the man. “Come on, let’s talk.” He smiled taking his hand and leading him out along a path. “Since you know I already understand all things, then you should have no problem speaking to me about it all.”

The man looked up again at God as they walked side by side. “You gave me everything I needed. But I struggled with belief and peace. I fought to understand details that made no sense to my human mind. I listened deeply to the ways of the world. I watched others that were successful and popular. I failed to attract people into my church. I couldn’t get others to convert and come to know you.” He went silent.

After a moment, God looked at him. “It is true, I gave you all you needed. What did you do with it? Did you try to add to it or change it? I told you to seek Me. Read My book. Know Me. You tried to reason and do it on your own. I desired to stay with you. I gave you My presence because I desire to be near you. I desire to guide you, not leave you floundering. But you have to come to Me to know Me.”

God’s voice cracked and lowered in sadness. “My Word I put in you, but you sought the things of the world and made that your priority. Because of this, the Gifts and Fruits did not develop in you. Wisdom and understanding remain dormant. The Presence, my Holy Spirit, does not flow in you because He is not a priority. You were called to be a Gift to My Son’s Church, but you chose to be less than I called upon you to be.

“Finally, your choice to make the things I told you to do of a low importance has opened the door to destructive thoughts and wrong purposes for your life.” God paused. “You have been very ineffective for the Kingdom.” God looked down at him. “The man who is gifted and chooses to remain useless will not find his way into my house.”