Talents: One, Two, or Five?

My personal observation throughout my lifetime suggests that almost all people have some sort of talent. I have always been amazed at the talents that people produce when they put forth extraordinary effort to excel. Among the most significant of clever people I find a characteristic that is intriguing to me. There seems to be a life source in their ability to sustain the ambition of higher goals of personal triumph. It portrays the finest of simplicity, efficiency and effectiveness. The performance of such talent seems almost surreal. To observe such talent in action tends to have a redeeming affect of continuous enthusiasm within one’s self that produces a flow of excellence and charming courage that is almost contagious. It seems to be like an experience of joy. The effectiveness of such character communicates desire and zeal even if it is common masonry skills or a chef in the kitchen. However, one conclusion remains constant no matter the profession: Well done!

Apostle Paul writes about this excellence in servanthood and stewardship concerning our faith in Christ. Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. V.15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect-(ed), be thus minded:

What is the prized mark of the high calling of God? I understand this to be the heavenly excellence upon a perfect heart toward God. One that has experienced the power of the resurrection of Christ with sufferings that conform us in Him. It is the principle that all they that are Godly shall suffer. This suffering however is completely different than most would dare to understand; it is not from committed sins nor is it from living in unrighteousness. It is suffering because of righteousness. It is the pruning of the healthy. It is chastening by the love of the heavenly Father. It is the correcting processes by which His perfection is experienced unto His eternal glory while we live in human form.

Many do not understand this spiritual process because of the shallowness of their experiential understanding of servanthood. Their personal dedication is too shallow to contain the interworking of the active Potter’s hand. The act of perseverance is not deep enough to permit such a work from God because offense is still an impairment to such a one. The depth of this high prize belongs only to the ones that live the life of consecration continually before God in an earthen vessel.

This lack of intense consistence within the experience of Christ will defer spiritual depth. It will allow a man to walk on the surface of Christianity but never grow deeper in kingdom understanding. The depth of such shallow fellowship will, at best, yield an amen or a hallelujah once in a while. The superficial experience of such will not contain any spiritual ambition to show them approved unto God through study of His word. These will never become spiritual workmen in God’s kingdom. Why? Is it perhaps a lack of interest, or disappointment in having a talent that is too small?

Could we serve God with five talents better than only one? It is obvious that God desires us to get the most out of that which we have been given. If God would give us five talents and let us do the least with all of them, we would do less than doing the most excellent with one. The truth is confined with what we can do well with.

In description of the first paragraph I wrote on this subject— we will never be fulfilled when given too many talents unless we have learned to utilize one to its perfection. Sometimes we want to judge one talent as being easier than the other and therefore we do nothing with what we have. This is just a distraction to divert our attention onto wrong things. Maximize what God has given you at once!

In the parable of the talents in Mathew 25 we see that the faithful multiplied their talents. The individuals with five and with two each multiplied them. God called it well done! The one that received only a single talent was disappointed and never did anything with it but hid it from everyone thinking it was not fair. He was called unprofitable.

How could I encourage you to excel in the things of God and to study to show yourself approved unto God? Take that which you have received of God and excel in it with passion. Have you noted that there is a high calling that most never consider? It costs you everything but it is part of the joy of the Lord! All the ones that excelled in the talents that were given received an order from God. The order was: ENTER THOU INTO THE JOY OF THE LORD! Joy is that God given enigma that flows like honey from a fountain of continuous enthusiasm within one’s self; it produces and communicates a flow of excellence and charming courage that is spiritually contagious! Hallelujah!

The unfaithful received a sentence. Matthew 25:29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.