Don't Bury the Father's Treasure
Don’t Bury the Father’s Treasure
What the Parable of the Talents Teaches About Kingdom Stewardship
“For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods… After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.” — Matthew 25:14, 19 (KJV)
A Story About Trust
Jesus tells of a lord travelling into a far country who delivers his goods to three servants — talents — “to every man according to his several ability.” Two of them trade with what they’re given and double it. The third, afraid of losing what wasn’t his, digs in the earth and hides his lord’s money, handing it back exactly as he received it.
When the lord returns, the two who took the risk are commended: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant… enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” The one who buried his talent is rebuked — not for losing money, but for refusing to try.
The Sin Wasn’t the Risk — It Was the Fear
Read the parable closely and the third servant’s excuse is telling:
“Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed… And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth.” — Matthew 25:24-25 (KJV)
He didn’t lose the money to a bad investment. He lost it to fear of his lord’s character — a wrong picture of who his lord was drove him to inaction, and that inaction was the very thing that condemned him.
This is the same trap we fall into: we treat caution as righteousness and inaction as safety. But burying what God gave us isn’t neutral — it’s disobedience wearing the costume of prudence.
What Was Entrusted Was Never Really Ours
Same principle as Romans 6, which anchored last week’s post: there’s no neutral ground. Everything you’ve been given — time, skill, capital, relationships, the business idea you’ve been sitting on — was handed to you by a Lord who expects it to be put to work, not preserved in a drawer.
“Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” — 1 Corinthians 4:2 (KJV)
Stewardship isn’t about protecting what you have. It’s about multiplying what you’ve been trusted with — for the Kingdom, not just for comfort.
Reflect
- What has God given me that I’ve been sitting on out of fear instead of putting to work?
- Do I actually believe God is a generous Lord worth taking risks for — or do I secretly believe the third servant’s excuse?
- What would “well done, good and faithful servant” look like in my business this year?
A Prayer
“Father, forgive me for the times I’ve buried what You entrusted to me because I was afraid to fail. Give me a true picture of who You are — generous, not harsh — so I can act in faith instead of fear. Make me faithful with what’s in my hands right now, however small it looks. For Your Kingdom, not my comfort. Amen.”
Final Thought
Two servants took a risk and heard “well done.” One played it safe and was called wicked and slothful. In God’s economy, buried potential isn’t humility — it’s disobedience.
“His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” — Matthew 25:21 (KJV)