Today, we examine a parable about a wealthy man who was about to go on a trip. He needed to be sure his property was cared for while he was gone, so he entrusted it to three servants. Now, a “talent” was equal to approximately 6,000 denarii. (A denarius amounted to a day’s wage for the average worker.) It would take an average worker almost 20 years to earn the equivalent of one talent.

He gave one servant five talents, one servant two talents, and the other servant one talent. Remember, in those days, one talent was a large sum of money. He told each one to make good use of what he had entrusted to them so he could realize a good increase of his investment when he returned.

The five-talent man doubled his talents to ten. The two-talent man doubled his to four. And the one talent man, fearing he might lose it, refused to take risks or even to try. He just buried his.

When the master returned, he heard the report of the five- and two-talent servants. He gave them equal praise, for they both made the most of what was entrusted to them. But the one-talent man who produced nothing, made him furious and he took the talent and gave it to the servant with ten.

Jesus told this story. The moral – all men are not literally created equal, but all of us have equal responsibility to make the most of what we have. Are you making the most of what God has entrusted to you?