The Parable of the Talents or the Parable of the Bags of Gold is a story of eternal life, purpose, investment, and business. How does this message apply to you and your business?
Here’s the text of the parable (Matthew 25:14-30)
“… it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
“The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
“‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Jesus used parables like this to describe the Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of God. Many business owners, me included, interpret this parable as a lesson on the stewardship of your business.
What are your bags of gold?
You’ve been given unique knowledge, skills, and abilities. You’ve been entrusted with money from your customers to serve them somehow. Your business has some level of wealth. You have been blessed with friendships, family, suppliers, employees, and people who have chosen to do business with you.
These resources are your bags of gold.
Why is each servant treated differently?
One servant got five talents, another servant got two talents, and the third servant got only one talent. Why did each servant receive a different amount?
Like it or not, each of us has been gifted differently. Jesus says, “…each according to his ability.” Assess what gifts you have been given, and do your best with your talents, treasure, and time. Don’t envy others who have achieved fantastic success, and don’t look down on those who have less. Be grateful for your blessings, and consider how to use those to grow your business and expand God’s kingdom.
Are we servants?
The short answer is YES. Whether you think about it this way or not, you have entered this world with nothing and will leave with nothing. What you have right now doesn’t belong to you. In our age of materialism, this is not a message that most want to hear. It is the objective truth. Your belongings, your family, your relationships, and your business have been gifted to you by your master.
What does this have to do with business?
Your role in your short existence is to serve in a way that multiplies what you’ve been given. All successful businesses act in this way. There is a need that they fill. They charge money to fill that need. Investments in successful companies will double, triple, and quadruple in value. This value is felt by employees, customers, and the business owner.
What you leave behind is your legacy. If you’ve been faithful with what you’ve been given, you will receive more to invest and grow. That “even more” may be what you and your employees have earned through hard work. Or, it may be re-gifted from others who have failed to multiply what they’ve been given. In a genuinely free market, good businesses inherit the customers of the poor and failing businesses.
What about the “wicked and lazy servant”?
I think we have all been wicked and lazy servants on occasion. This is someone who has been gifted with “something.” In this parable, This individual was not as gifted as much as the other two servants.
Let’s start with this servant’s first remark, “Master, I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.” This person is not a believer when you pull this statement out of the parable and into our lives. It’s someone who either believes that God doesn’t exist or that God is not responsible for gifting them anything. Unfortunately, this attitude is becoming increasingly common in our modern day.
He says, “So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground.” The core emotion here is “fear”. Owning a business is scary. If you invest $20,000, there is no guarantee that you will get a return on your investment. Right? If you’re invested in the stock market and are convinced the market will crash, you will take your money out.
He finishes his rant with, “See, here is what belongs to you.” This is the most cutting statement of all. He is saying that his master is not worthy of anything more than what he gave him in the first place.
Think about this in the context of the definition of these bags of gold. The bags of gold are your knowledge, skills, abilities, relationships, employees, friends, etc. This servant wasted his life because he was convinced that his life wasn’t meant to serve his master.
This can be a person who is addicted to social media, cable news, drugs, alcohol, and pornography or a workaholic who is working for little gain.
The master’s response to this servant is harsh. “…you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned, I would have received it back with interest.”
The master implies that had you simply coasted in life; you would have created some benefit that is more than nothing. But because of his bitterness, the lazy servant’s life has been meaningless.
Taking from the Poor, Give to the Rich
This gets worse for the wicked and lazy servant. What he has will be taken from him and given to the wealthiest servant in this parable. He skipped right over the person with four bags of gold.
In business, this is automatic. Suppose you can imagine three grocery stores within the same proximity. One grocery store owner invests in great lighting, the best staff, and meats and produce. The second grocery store owner invests in quality staff, meats, and produce. The third person decides not to open a store at all. Grocery store customers will be forced to go to the two open grocery stores. All the customers that would have gone to the third person’s store have no choice. Right?
But this isn’t just about business or money. This is about EVERYTHING that God has gifted you. The lazy and wicked servant will not only be destitute but he will also be punished eternally for his lack of effort.
Being the Good & Faithful Servant
The role of the Good and Faithful Servant is not all that attractive for someone who doesn’t have an eternal perspective. Think about it. So, what if you get more money to invest? Doesn’t that mean more work, stress, and responsibility?
If you believe life is all about temporal pleasure, you will be the wicked and lazy servant… serving only yourself. If you believe life is an eternal proposition and own nothing, you’re more liable to work to grow what you’ve been given joyfully. After all, this growth is your inheritance in eternity.
Jesus says, “Come and share your master’s happiness!” This implies that you will share in an eternal reward with the master. It does not mean you will have to continue working and earn even more. The master tells the lazy servant, “…throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This “weeping and gnashing of teeth” often refers to hell in the Bible. Quite a harsh rebuke for those who have decided to take a passive approach to life.
The Master
As you may imagine, the master is God. God doesn’t need or want your money. He wants your dedication to growing His kingdom. The knowledge, skills, abilities, relationships, employees, friends, etc.…. or “bags of gold”, are your life. It’s your life now, and it’s your life beyond this earthly life. Your master wants you to prosper with what He has given you.
What about the servant you never hear about?
This is not Biblical, but I’ve often wondered, “What about a servant who attempts to grow his investment but loses money?” The implication of this missing servant is clear to me. Jesus implies that a person who invests their talents, time, and treasure will not lose. It is essential to know that many of Jesus’s closest followers lost their lives to spread the gospel message. And yet, even these apostles thought of themselves as winners. Paul said it best, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)
Something to Think About
This parable has many messages. I have read it several times in different situations and get a different meaning each time. As a business owner, I believe the message is clear: Battle the fear that tempts you to be passive. Standing still is not a worthy endeavor. Yes, you need to rest on occasion. Always think of ways to grow yourself, the people around you, and the Kingdom of God.
By growth… I’m not only talking about your business profits. I’m referring to all your “bags of gold.”
The irony of this multiplying of your gifts is that it will result in a complete and prosperous life for you now and for the rest of eternity.
Jeff Schuster is the author of this post and is a business coach with Mechanics & Mindset Business Coaching. Jeff has published several more blog posts, podcasts, and videos on business mechanics, mindset, and coaching. Please set up a complimentary coaching session with Jeff if you’d like to share your business situation and gain insight into what may help you grow your business to the next level.
