Jesus’ Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) was actually about faithfulness in handling wealth and possessions (Greek, talanton, one money “talent” is the equivalent of 200 pounds of gold) placed under our control by the Father, and not a story about unique talents or abilities, which distinguish us. Each of three servants were given differing amounts of capital or property to administrate, invest, and manage with the expectation of returning the property or principal with a profit equal to the original property. The first two conscientiously took their lord’s original investment and faithfully “traded” (Matthew 25:16 KJV) or duplicated that amount, but the last was an evil, unprofitable servant, who had a low, selfish, and unkind view of his master. “Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed [scattered seed]: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine” (25:24-25). Why should I benefit such a boss with my labor, if he is not worthy of me? He’s only exploiting me. LORD, grant to us a willing heart for service and deliver us from Your sentence of casting the “unprofitable servant into outer darkness” (25:30). In Jesus name, we pray. Amen.
Selfishness the Essence of Sin
Try A Little Kindness
When was the last time you were accused of being kind? “Love is kind [Greek, chrēsteuomai, obliging, willing to help]” (1Corinthians 13:4 NET). I noticed a clip from a television show, where a doctor was speaking rather abruptly to a very young patient. I immediately thought of the expression “kindly doctor” as what we would rather see in a physician’s bedside manner. How often do we see people in public, who seem to have a scowl on their face, like the sun’s in their eyes? But, do we do that, too, so others won’t think they can run over us, or that we smile for no reason and are senile? I ran across a great grandmother volunteering at a food distribution center. She had a kindly face, and I don’t think she was senile. Kindness is not a look, but a heart attitude, which truly “doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil” (1Corinthians 13:5 KJV). Only the Spirit of God can work that in a human heart! LORD, make it so in me through the power of Jesus’ name. Amen.
Selfishness Is Not
Selfishness is not merely physical self preservation — “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church” (Ephesians 5:29 KJV) — for even Christ acted similarly. Then, loving yourself more than God first or your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39) is the epitome of selfishness. For that reason, selfishness is the essence of sin.
We Need A Miracle 