The Truth About Using All Your Talents

I was having breakfast with one of my closest friends, who just happens to be an emergency room physician. It had been months since we caught up, so over some killer gas-station breakfast tacos, we shared what was going on. Doc and his family attend a house church and part of their worship is having one member share an in-depth devotion. A few weeks ago, Doc shared about the parable about three servants who were each given talents (money) by their master, who then left to go on a trip. Some time later, the master returned and found that two of the servants had doubled the master’s investment; while the third servant hid the talent and returned it safe and sound to the master. The master praised the first two servants and punished the last one.

This parable is one of my favorites because it clearly shows that God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy has designed, empowered, and allowed each of us to be exactly where we are right now. It shows that He can be praised in every aspect of our daily work; in fact, He demands that we work hard for Him. But that morning, I had 3 revelations, about the truth of using all your talents.

1. The Master was looking for faithfulness, not success. The Master told both the servant that was given 5 talents (and returned 10) and 2 talents (and returned 4) “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 Master was more concerned about the FAITHFULNESS of the servant than the return.

I believe that everyone is called to do the will of the Master; but the Master doesn’t care about what you might consider “success”. He is more concerned about being faithful to our calling than actually achieving success. The irony is that earlier in Matthew chapter 7, Christ has promised us that whatever we ask, we will be given. I do not believe that this means that God is a cosmic vending machine granting every wish, but rather a Father that provides for us every step of the journey. As we are faithful to act out His calling, He provides us a way to achieve his definition of succeed. Therefore, if we focus on being faithful to His calling, He has already guaranteed that our efforts will be successful. We just have to understand, who defines success.

2. Everyone is given exactly the right amount of talent for the task laid before them. Sometimes we make mistakes by looking at other people and wishing that we had their “talent”. Talent can mean so many things (i.e. material wealth, natural abilities and acumen, emotional and physical make-up, passions, and experiences). The fact is that the Master knew before the earth was even created that you would be reading this article, on this day, while you were currently employed where you are, with the challenges that you are currently facing. Not only does He know that, He has created a much bigger plan for this world; and He has a specific role that you were born to play in that plan, like a star that was created to be part of a constellation. He gives you exactly the right amount and type of talents that are needed to faithfully achieve the part. Don’t look at someone else’s talent and be jealous or ashamed. If you had their talents, then you would not be prepared for your role. I heard someone once say that a war is won with both a general and a tank driver doing exactly what their role demands. Things go really bad when the general starts driving a tank or when a tank driver starts making command decisions. The Master has designed a plan that includes us perfectly; so what makes us think we can improve on it.

3. Using our talents to double our talents is HARD work. When the Master is described in the parable, he is described in very entrepreneurial terms. He obviously was a success business man as he provided the 3 servants with about $13 million in seed money (assuming the talents were gold). I am sure that these employees saw the shrewdness of their master and probably learned a thing or two about business. The parable does not exactly say how the two faithful servants actually invested their resources. I like to think that the way the first employee made his seed money work for him was different than how the second employee did. One of them may have invested in agricultural futures and was able to, just like his master, gathered where he scattered no seed. Maybe the other financed a merchant caravan from Egypt to China by way of Rome, and in doing so reaping what they did not sow, just like the Master. I believe that the Master wants us to use our talents in a way that we were created for and that we should work HARD at it. Today, when you do whatever you are doing today (from taking money at a toll-both to closing an 8-figure merger and acquisition), work HARD at it for the Master’s glory.

This is such a rich and meaningful story that teaches us about our Master, our calling, and how can we live out our spiritual lives through our entrepreneurial ones. 

Being an entrepreneur is one of the most difficult and demanding things you can do. The good news is that entrepreneurship today is a team sport. Hit the connect button on LinkedIn or Facebook NOW and together we will work towards hitting your 10-year target. Along the way we will increase your profit, strengthen your leadership skills and define your strategic vision. This will lead to confidence in your path, freedom to dream up bigger targets and a strategic banking relationship. When we connect, tell me if you have discovered your unique calling.

Greg Martin is an entrepreneur’s insider to the banking industry and passionately believes that every person was uniquely designed for a higher purpose and calling. Greg guides entrepreneurs in defining and achieving their purpose and calling. His deepest passion is living life with his wife and their wonderful son.