Here's Your Sign

Do you ever have those things in life that just keep popping up? About 2 years ago now, I really honed in on the parable of the talents. (Matthew 25:14-30) I don't know what about it fascinated me so much. I guess I could relate to both the master and the "wicked" servant that didn't return the money with interest, so it kinda baffled me a little bit. I just kept reading it over and over from time to time.

Then yesterday, my husband invited me to lunch with he and some friends. In talking to the friends at some point this parable came up. I took note. Fast forward to this morning, I go to an old friend's house to a ladies group and low and behold, what parable were we discussing? None other than the parable of the talents.

I think the biggest thing that I took away in reading, at least from the Master's perspective was the trust he had in the servant. From what I understand with the digging I have done, 1 talent is essentially the equivalent of $600,000 dollars. For some people, that may not be a large sum of money, but for me--a person who has never held that much capital in my bank account or elsewhere, it's a pretty high sum. I would definitely feel a pressure or burden being entrusted with that amount of money. So, the master was quite trusting of this servant. Then, when I look at the verses, there are actually 2 things that stick out to me about the servant's perspective--fear and judgement. Let me expound.

When I read the verses about the parable of the talents, I like to keep in mind that Jesus said in Luke 17: 20-21, "The Kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." This statement emphasizes that the Kingdom of God is not a physical, observable entity, but rather a spiritual reality that resides within individuals. So, I like to think of the fact that within myself, there is a whole kingdom, and I either choose to release it with my words and actions, to grow it with my words and actions, or to withhold it by lack of words or actions. This realization gives me so much encouragement and it also helps to empower me. It is interesting that the kingdom itself is compared to the story of the talents. The kingdom can be seen as a master, with three servants and the resources within. Perhaps the kingdom represents provision from a source that has abundance, given to those who lack. Once those who lack are given the talents, they are all brought into the group of those who have. However, instead of focusing on what one has and cultivating something out of it, one of the servants chooses to judge the actions of the provider and in turn becomes fearful as a result (Luke 6:38). They then decide not to utilize the resource given, but to store it for the return of the provider. This servant's focus was always self-seeking, driven by their own fear of punishment, which led to inaction. They didn't focus on the potential good that could be done with the resource, the accomplishments that could be achieved, or the growth that could be cultivated by taking a risk or a chance on something greater. Instead, they focused on the perceived harshness of the master's previous actions. The servant could have chosen to trust that the master understood how to take control over areas that were not being well maintained and resources that were possibly being misused or undervalued, thus seeming "harsh" to those who don't know or understand the full picture. Being faithful to a resource is important and is part of being a good steward. As mothers, we have one of the greatest resources of all—life itself. The return on investment for our efforts compounds exponentially as our personal talents, such as knowledge, peace, love, understanding, patience, and guidance, take root and produce fruits in our children and future generations. Alternatively, we can bury our peace for fear or bury our love for forms of hate, such as resentment or anger. What we do as mothers holds a value that cannot be measured in numbers and figures. I don't believe it is a mistake that the parable before this speaks of the lamps and the oil. As a mother, I have recognized the "lack of oil" in my lamp at times. Over the past few years, I have been learning exactly what I need to do to keep my lamp full, and I assume that the ingredients are a little different for each of us. Maybe reading the word of God, spending time gardening, and exercising are what fill some of our lamps. For others, perhaps a good self-help book, maybe some dancing and time with friends. Self-awareness has been an invaluable tool for me. Though, please know I have not perfected the use of this tool. I am an apprentice in the program! HA! I am actively striving to identify when my lamp oil is running low, which is evident through a decrease in patience, peace, and the emergence of anger. During these moments, I consciously take a step back and retreat to the activities that replenish and rejuvenate me. I have come to realize that this self-care is not selfish, as I once believed. By acknowledging my needs and taking the necessary steps to fill my cup, I am better equipped to show up in life, ready, prepared, capable, hopeful, and joyful. In summary, the parable of the talents teaches us the importance of being faithful stewards of the resources we have been given. As mothers, we have the incredible resource of life itself, and the return on investment for our efforts in nurturing and cultivating our children is immeasurable. We have the choice to either bury our peace and love, perhaps sometimes out of fear of losing those very things, or to embrace self-awareness and take the necessary steps to fill our own cups, allowing us to show up in life with readiness, preparation, capability, hope, and joy. #momlife #peace #parable #matthew25 #cultivate #cultivation #growth #selfawareness #reflection