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!’ (NIV)

What’s your hidden superpower?  Come on, you know you have one – something you’re really good at. Maybe it’s just a better-than-average power, but it’s more fun to think of as a superpower. Maybe it’s a normal superstrength – you run fast, or you’re strong, or you’re really smart. But maybe it’s a quirky superpower that isn’t always obvious – maybe you can sing, maybe you’re artistic, maybe you can juggle, maybe you write well or type fast, maybe you’re good at a sport, maybe you can build or fix things, maybe it’s video games, maybe you can cook or bake well, maybe you can dance, maybe you shoot well, maybe you can live outdoors on your own. I think we all have something that we’re pretty good at.  And even if you won’t admit it now, I bet the 5-year-old and 15-year-old version of you would have been quick to identify your superpower.

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In today’s Scripture, Jesus uses a parable – about financial resources, but relevant to our skills and talents too – to show the importance of using what God has given us. Jesus stresses that we are to be faithful with what we have been given.

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In the parable, Jesus talks about people who were entrusted with large sums of money. In those days, a “talent” weighed about 80 pounds. In today’s money, 80 pounds of gold would be about $3.5 million, quite a sum to entrust to servants with no conditions attached. To one servant, the master entrusted about $17 million, to another, about $7 million, and to another $3.5 million. Then the master left for an unknown amount of time. When he returned, he called for an accounting, and the first two servants had profited by using the money wisely and faithfully.  As a result, the master praised them and told them, “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!”

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Sadly, the third servant had not used the money wisely, but had only stored it, not even putting it in the bank to earn interest. He had been given the potential for good, but he had done nothing with it due to his fear. The master condemned him, because he had squandered his opportunity.

I hope you came up with a superpower, but now think: what’s your superpower when it comes to faith? And then, is it hidden, or do you use it? In Romans 12 and I Corinthians 12, Paul discusses spiritual gifts such as teaching, prophesying, serving, training, preaching, giving, leading, showing mercy, exhorting others, being faithful, having wisdom, etc. In addition to the ones he mentions, there may also be other resources and skills God has given us that we can use to further His Kingdom. Maybe it’s just in giving God your time, maybe it’s serving in some way, or maybe it’s caring for others. How can you use that resource to honor God, further His Kingdom, or serve His church?

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God has given each of us skills and resources, and He wants us to use them to build His Kingdom. Maybe it’s the superpower discussed earlier, but maybe it’s your superpower meant to edify the Church – your time, your ability to care for people, your finances, your service, your worship, or your prayer.  

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So, what are your talents? Are they hidden, or do you use them? What step forward do you need to take today, that God will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant?”

Dear God, thank you for Your many blessings.  May we take what You have given us and use those gifts wisely, for Your Kingdom.  May we live a life that will result in You telling us, Well done, good and faithful servant.