For Those Days

I know I say this pretty much every time, but I’ve found another new favorite parable.  The parable of the talents.  Basic summary: a wealthy man gives his servants each a certain number of talents.  One gets five, another two, and another one.  When the master returns, he asks the servants what they’ve done with their respective talents.  The first had earned ten, the next four, and the last had buried his.  I guess I’d never consciously thought this, but a common misconception is that the man who ended up with ten talents is the most righteous.  However, this is not true.  In Matt. 25:15, it says that the master gave “to every man according to his several ability.”  I’d never picked up on this phrase. 

For those who don’t know, I play the piano, the organ, I sing, I do ballroom dance, and I’m currently attending BYU.  That’s more than the average 19 year old is up to, I guess you could say.  Throughout my life, people have commented that they were impressed with how naturally talented I was.  This always bothered me, because I certainly wasn’t born with what I have.  This did not just “happen.”  I’ve spent many hours working to get to where I am now.  And now I’m glad I did (Yes, mom.  You were right that I would thank you one day.)   

I like that this gospel makes us work hard.  How boring would it be if you just got the short straw and there was nothing you could do about it?  This gospel is about helping us become better.  We are meant to find happiness.  You develop whatever talents you have.  Not much will be sweeter than hearing, “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.” (Matt 25:21).