Business Application for the Parable of the Talents

If you grew up in the church, you are probably very familiar with the Parable of the Talents found in Matthew 25:14-30. It is likely you have heard a variety of interpretations or applications for it. I do not want to read something into the text that is not there but rather have a faithful understanding that aligns with the rest of Scripture. While I do not think that this is a parable on how to run a business there are business dealings in the story such as trading and receiving interest from a banker. There are definite business applications we can take from it. First, let’s take a deeper look into the parable.

Talents Assigned Based on Ability

Verse 15 states that each of the three servants were assigned talents based on their ability. This may be difficult for some to hear but we are not all created equal. Some of us are plainly more skilled than others in certain aspects of life. Yes, we are all fearfully and wonderfully made, but some with more skills. In this parable, “the master”, understood the abilities of each of his servants and assigned a level of responsibility accordingly. To one he gave 5, another 2 and the last 1. Verse 14 states that the master was entrusting his property to them so you would have to figure he was taking many things into account and knew exactly who he could trust with what.

Equivalence of a Talent

A talent was a monetary unit worth about 20 years’ wages for a laborer. Meaning just 1 talent made you a very rich person much less 5.

Same Reward

We see a large disparity between what is being entrusted to the three individuals based on ability. One receives twice as much while another receives two and a half times more than he does. Yet the response, “reward”, given by the master to their faithfulness was identical:

“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ “

Matthew 25:21 and 23

Meaning

Regardless of what you have been given, be faithful. That is the simple thing to take from this. However, isn’t it a bit odd understanding the value of a talent why the master says, “you have been faithful over a little” to the ones who received 5 (100 years of wages) and 2 talents (40 years of wages). It is not like they lived in a society where capitalism and entrepreneurship were at the forefront. That amount of money would have been unattainable for the large majority of the population so to say it was “little” would have been perplexing.

We can gain a bit of context if we go back to the beginning of chapter 25 where Jesus starts off the parable of the ten virgins with:

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like…”

The parable of the talents is said in conjunction with this previous parable. Jesus is contrasting life on earth versus the Kingdom. By using wealth amounts that almost certainly everyone listening would deem unimaginable and then calling it little He is contrasting the enormous difference between earthly wealth and the glory of the kingdom. The exchange rate is vast, it is of no comparison. We should lay hope to the future kingdom while also being faithful in what we have been assigned.

Business Application

When looking at a U.S. business context some of us can place ourselves in the 5, 2 or 1 talent buckets. But taking into account the entire population of the world, as U.S. businessmen, we probably would all fall into the 5-talent bucket. The amount of opportunity we possess just by being born here gives us a huge leg up. So regardless of the scope you feel like you find yourself in with your particular business we should probably take the approach that we have been blessed with “5 talents”. Be faithful in what you do have and seek to grow your business reach not necessarily bottom line wise but in advancing the kingdom some way through your resources.

Takeway

If you are in charge of much take time and ask the Lord why He has chosen you to have that sort of responsibility. Again, I would argue all of us need to take that kind of posture. Are you acting in accordance with the “talents” given to you?

We need smart, savvy Kingdom Minded businesspeople. I do believe the Lord can intervene in a supernatural way to bless businesses. But growth in the business will more than likely be a product of the ability given to the person(s). Either way, we should be reminded that regardless of our bottom line it pales into comparison of what is to come. May we strive all to here:

“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”