The Parable of the Talents is one of the parables Jesus taught on stewardship. It involved a man giving three servants a certain number of talents to trade with. The man represents God, and the servants represents His people. We are not servants out of compulsion, but because we are indebted to Him. Whilst the talents had monetary value, it was symbolic of the resources God has given us.

After a while, he returns to find out what they had done with it. The first two servants had fulfilled the task, but the last servant hid his talent in the ground. Although it was returned back to the master; he received a strong rebuke and a final judgement (Matthew 24:29-30).

Some of us might read this parable and think that he was judged harshly. The uncomfortable truth is, there is a reward for how we steward what God has given us. The servants received what was due to them, according to their diligence (or lack thereof). The question remains; how can we become better stewards?

1. Stewards are en(trusted).

Matthew 24:14-15
“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

During biblical times it wasn’t uncommon for men and women of affluence and influence to have multiple servants. However, he only called three servants. For him to leave his money in their hands, he would have considered them faithful and capable. One talent was worth 20 years of wages for a labourer’s hard work (Blue Letter Bible, 2025), which is a lot of money to hand over to a person.

The word entrusted means to ‘assign the responsibility for doing something to (someone)’ or to ‘put something into someone’s care or protection’. This meant they were temporary custodians of what was given to them, and there was an expectation that they would look after it.

The first sentence makes it clear that it was his property. This is important to understand because the roles were defined – he was the owner, and they were only stewards. Whatever was handed over to them was for a purpose and they were to carry out the assignment on his behalf. A steward recognizes that what they have is not theirs and must honour the person whom it belongs to.

When we fail to remember that we are stewards, entitlement can easily take place. We can have a mindset that what the Lord has entrusted into our care is “ours” and this becomes dangerous, because we assume that we have the right to do as we please.

Whether it’s our natural talents, knowledge, creativity, finances, spiritual gifts, time or ministry – none of these things belong to us. The Lord has given it to us for a reason which is to do His work on earth. We are only looking after it and will be held accountable for how we treated people, positions or possessions we were called to steward.

Matthew 24:15
To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.

To each of his servants, they were given a certain number of talents. One servant was given five talents, to another two talents and the last servant was given one talent. The scripture makes it clear that there was no favoritism. It wasn’t because they asked for it or believed they could do a better job than the other person. The decision was made based on their abilities.

Sometimes, we compare ourselves with others or envy what another person has. It may seem “unfair” that we don’t have certain skills without realizing that God had given them the grace to do it.

The master was intentional and knew what the servants could be trusted with. In the same way,  God is also intentional. Whatever He gives us is according to His wisdom and understanding.

If the Lord wanted us to have it, we would have. He created us and knows us better than we know ourselves. Rather than covet what somebody else has, we must learn to steward faithfully. When we do this, we honour the One who called us.

2. Stewards are obedient.

Matthew 25:16
He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. ¹⁸ But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.

As soon as the master gave the instruction, the two servants followed suit. They responded to the call and went to work. The servant with five talents traded and received five more talents. The next servant traded and received two more talents but the one who received one talent, hid it in the ground.

Obedience and stewardship go hand in hand. The master had given them an instruction and the resources they will need to fulfil the assignment. For there to be multiplication, there had to be an investment. We cannot expect a harvest from the Lord, when we haven’t planted the seeds or watered it. If we sow little, we can only expect to reap little.

Even though the servants were given five, two and one talents – it wasn’t meant to stay like that. After a while, the master returns and each servant gave a report of what they had done with his money. The master rejoiced after what he heard and said the following,

Matthew 25:21
His master said to him [with ten talents], ‘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.’

Matthew 25:23
His master said to him [with four talents], ‘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.’

Notice how both servants received the same praise, “Well done my good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21; Matthew 25:23) regardless of the number. The servant with ten talents and the other servant with four talents were both commended for their effort. More importantly, they were commended for their faithfulness. The master cared about their obedience more than the outcome.

Sometimes we become more focused on the outcome of our obedience rather than simply pleasing the Lord. The world’s definition of “success” will always look different in the Lord’s eyes. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to have a larger impact, but don’t let that become an idol. Being fruitful is great but let us desire more to be faithful.

Our validation shouldn’t come from people but from the One who called us. If He alone is pleased, then that’s all that should matter. ‘Well done my good and faithful servant’ is the only statement that we should desire to hear. The Lord reward us for our faithfulness. If nobody else sees your hard work except the Lord, would you still be satisfied?

3. Stewards are accountable.

Matthew 25:19
Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

‘After a long time’, was not to be taken for granted. It was only a matter of time before the master asked for an account. The first two servants were rewarded and given more authority because they were faithful with the little and can therefore be trusted with more (Luke 16:10). How we steward what we have will determine how much the Lord can give to us. Regardless of how “little” or how “much” it may appear in our eyes, we will be held accountable.

The servant with the one talent buried it, not realizing that a day will come when the master returns to ask for an account. Whether we hear it preached often – a day will come when we must stand before the Lord to give an account. We will give an account for the way that we lived our life (Romans 2:12-16; Hebrews 4:13) and the words spoken (Matthew 12:36-37). Amongst all of this, He will ask us, ‘What did you do with what has been given to you?’.

Matthew 25:26-27
But his master answered him, You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷ Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.

He wasn’t rebuked for being timid, or careful but for being lazy. It was considered selfishness to hide or hoard what was given freely, when it could have been used to bless many. The servant with the one talent thought he could do whatever he liked with it. After all, the master gave it to him, but that’s where he got it wrong. Rather than humble himself, he became prideful, spoke to his master without reverence and justified his disobedience (Matthew 25:24-25).

Regardless of whatever excuse we may have, it won’t be enough to warrant our idleness. We might not relate to what the servant said, but we’ve used excuses such as “I’m not _____ enough”, “I can’t” or “I don’t have time/busy” or “What if I fail?”. Whatever our excuse may be, it won’t justify why we can’t work for the Lord. Since the servant couldn’t trade, the least he could do was make a deposit, that way, the money would still multiply.

Matthew 25:28-29
So, take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. ²⁹ For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

It may seem callous for the master to take the one talent that the servant had and give it to someone else. And yet, we would do the same thing in real life. If we delegated a task to someone and they did not complete it, would we not assign it to another person? Simply because there is work that needs to be done.

Some of the parables that Jesus taught in the later years of his ministry discussed the second coming, when He returns for His bride (the ecclesia). The Lord is coming for a bride that is ready, whose lamp is still burning with oil (Matthew 25:1-10). A bride that is not idle but is working for the kingdom (Matthew 25:14-30). A bride who reflects Christ (her bridegroom) to those who are yet to see Him for themselves (Matthew 25:31-46).

For us to become better stewards we must remember these things. Let us not grow weary or complacent as we serve Him. May the only words that we desire to hear is “Well done my good and faithful servant.”

God bless,
Susan.