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Every Man, Woman, and Child Is Responsible, July 28
And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five
talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I
have gained beside them five talents more. 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 25:20, 21
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The parable of the talents should be a matter of the most careful and
prayerful study; for it has a personal and individual application to every man,
woman, and child possessed of the powers of reason. Your obligation and
responsibility are in proportion to the talents God has bestowed upon you.
There is not a follower of Christ but has some peculiar gift for the use of
which he is accountable to God.
Many have excused themselves from rendering their gift to the service of
Christ, because others were possessed of superior endowments and advan-
tages. The opinion has prevailed that only those who are especially talented
are required to sanctify their abilities to the service of God. It has come to
be understood that talents are given only to a certain favored class, to the
exclusion of others who, of course, are not called upon to share in the toils or
rewards. But it is not so represented in the parable. When the master of the
house called his servants, he gave to every man his work.
The whole family of God are included in the responsibility of using their
Lord’s goods. Every individual, from the lowliest and most obscure to the
greatest and most exalted, is a moral agent endowed with abilities for which
he is accountable to God. To a greater or less degree, all are placed in charge
of the talents of their Lord. The spiritual, mental, and physical ability, the
influence, station, possessions, affections, sympathies, all are precious talents
to be used in the cause of the Master for the salvation of souls for whom
Christ died. How few appreciate these blessings! How few seek to improve
their talent, and increase their usefulness in the world! The Master has given
to every man his work. He has given to every man according to his ability,
and his trust is in proportion to his capacity. God requires everyone to be a
worker in His vineyard. You are to take up the work that has been placed in
your charge, and to do it faithfully.—
The Review and Herald, May 1, 1888
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