Wealthy folks have helpers. But sometimes they don’t help enough

By Dean Collins

I’ve known many very wealthy people over the years. In most cases, wealthy people have quite a few things to manage, so they often have one and sometimes many people to help them take care of their property and the stewardship of their resources. They work hard to find people they can trust to assist them.

Three servants

Jesus told a story about a wealthy man who acted similarly to my friends. The unique part of this parable is that the owner was going on a journey that required him to find someone who would have complete control of his assets. He selected three people for the job. And he placed much responsibility on the three servants he chose. You know the parable. We’ve heard it many times. This time it strikes me differently. I am struck by how much the man entrusted to the three. Even the one who received the smallest amount of the owner’s property received the equivalent of 20 years’ wages. Many of us will save and save and never reach 20 years of wages. And what about the amount the first servant received? 100 years of wages. That’s a ridiculous amount of money.

Apparently, the owner didn’t give instructions. He left each servant to make wise decisions while he was gone. There wasn’t an investment plan. There was only a trust relationship. Each man decided how to manage the money. None appeared to believe it was their money; it was simply their job. The owner gave them his assets and his trust.

You know the story. The first two doubled the wealthy man’s money while he was gone. The parable says the man was gone a long time; we don’t know if it was months or years. The third man said he feared the owner because he was a hard man. So instead of investing or growing the assets, he simply buried them in his backyard, probably somewhere he could see to make sure the wealth was protected.

Two responses

When the owner returned he praised the first two servants: “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” The implication seems to suggest they not only had more responsibility, but they also enjoyed a deeper relationship with the owner. And we can assume their salary went up, too.

The third man lost his job and no longer had access to the owner or received any further benefits. He was cast out and was left weeping.

Six Takeaways

This parable comes in the middle of Jesus’ teachings about the end times and his eventual return. What can we learn, remember, and apply?

1) We serve a God who is much more than very wealthy. He is the creator and owner of everything.
2) God has entrusted us with stewardship of everything. Not some of his stuff. All of his stuff.
3) Jesus has been gone a long time, and we don’t know his return date. But if you read the passages before and after this parable, you’ll see that Jesus will know what we did with his stuff and his mission. We have stewardship of both.
4) We have responsibilities both collectively and individually. Each of us must be faithful with the stewardship of relationships and resources we are blessed to possess.
5) We must not allow the enemy to plant fear in our hearts. With fear, it is likely that laziness, apathy, greed, pride, and other evil seed will find fertile soil.
6) Trust has been given, and being trustworthy is required.

All who embrace the vast love and partnership God has given will sooner and later know the joy of the Father’s blessing. And when he returns or when we have passed from these responsibilities to join the Father in Heaven, we will hear those wonderful words: “Well done my good and faithful servant.” Then the joy of the Father will fill us forever!

Your time with God’s Word
Matthew‬ ‭25:14-30‬ ‭ESV

Photo by Mathieu Stern on Unsplash

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