Matthew 25:14-30 (NRSV)
“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; 15 to one he gave five talents,f to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. 17 In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. 18 But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. 29 For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 30 As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Jesus liked stories. Here’s another one he could have told: It’s called, “Just What Could We Do?” Imagine the possibilities….
The treasurer of a congregation resigned. The church asked another person to take on the position, a man who managed the local grain elevator. The man agreed, with two conditions: 1) That no reports from the treasurer be given for one full year; and 2) That no one ask him any questions during this one-year period.
The church council members gulped, but finally agreed. He was a trusted man in the community and well known since most of them did business with him as manager of the local grain elevator. He was a wealthy man who clearly understood how to handle money. He handled their money everyday. He could handle God’s money too, they figured.
A year passed. At the annual meeting of the congregation to review the previous year, the treasurer had this report to make: The $250,000 the church owed the bank has been paid off. The pastor’s salary had been increased substantially.Missiongiving was up dramatically. Long deferred maintenance on the church building had been completed. There were no outstanding bills.
A shocked congregation asked “How come?” How could that be possible—suspecting that their wealthy treasurer had done it for them himself. “No, you did it!” he said quietly. “Most of you bring your grain to my elevator. As you did business with me, for the past year, I simply withheld ten percent on your behalf and gave it to the church in your name. You never even missed it. Do you see what we could do, if we would do what we could do?”
Imagine the possibilities….
The Rev. Jane Baker – 
FaithEvangelicalLutheranChurch,Roseburg
