What Have You Been Given?

Not sure if this happens to anyone else, but sometimes the figurative nature of a parable is very obvious to me...other times, not so much.  Jesus told the Parable of the Ten Servants in our reading.  This is one of those parables where the literal version makes sense to me, so I have a hard time figuring out the underlying meaning and intent of the message right away.  It kind of reminds me of the movie Mallrats (humor me), where Willem is trying to see the schooner/sailboat in the magic eye picture.  Some people can see it really easy, but some have to work really hard at it.  Don't worry, I am not trying to say that Mallrats has any biblical implications...just a funny clip.

Click here to watch

(If you want to watch, please note there's a couple mild swear words, one of Nate's favorites...and a couple uses of OMG.) 

So back to the point.  In this parable we see how the "king" is representative of Jesus, who would be going away for a while...and the "servants" represent followers of Christ.  While He is gone, like the servants, we are given talents/gifts/resources to build and expand on God's kingdom until our King returns.  The "king" was upset with the one servant who did nothing with what he was given and, when the "king" returned, everything the servant was given was taken away from him.

God gives each of us what we need to build up His kingdom until he returns...at which time we'll have to give an account for our actions, just like the servants did.  Personally, I know I'm still trying to figure out what I've been given and what I should do with it.  I wonder sometimes if there's something I'm missing, or maybe right now I'm just working with what I know and will be given more in the future.  Wherever you're at with this idea of using your talents/gifts/resources to build up the Kingdom, my Bible's notes say to consider the following:

1. What is your interest in the Kingdom?  Is it the same as Jesus' plan for us?
2. Do you trust Jesus' intentions?
3. Are you more concerned for yourself?
4. Are you willing to use faithfully what He's entrusted you with?

"I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away."Luke 19: 26