Walking On Water

Anytime we receive a gift of value we have a choice to make, either we keep it in the box, because we do not want to risk the gift, if it is brought out of the box into the open, it might get damaged or at worst broken. Or we can get it out of the box and use it, for we understand not to do so would frustrate the desire of the giver. There is no tragedy like the tragedy of the unopened gift.

The apostle Peter chose to risk his gift and use it. It is important to see that Peter did not ask Jesus for a promise - "Lord, promise me I won't sink" - but specifically he asks for a command: "Lord, if it is you, command me." Peter didn't ask for a guarantee, just an opportunity. The disciples who stayed in the boat did not want to risk failure. They treasured safety over growth. For each of the disciples already had been given a measure of faith and Peter decided to get his faith out of the box and give it a spin.

The others understood the cost of getting out of the boat. They were very much aware of the pain of potential failure, embarrassment, inadequacy, criticism, and perhaps even loss of life. But what they were not so aware of was another cost - the cost of staying in the boat - the cost of lack of growth.

He is the Lord of the gift

The master gathers together three key employees and "entrusted his property to them" (v14). Jesus talks about vast sums of money. The master gives his first servant five talents, the second servant two, and the third one.

A talent was an expression for money worth about fifteen years' wages. In that era, people lived from day to day and to have accumulated one year's worth of wages was enormous wealth. So the figures Jesus is throwing around here are staggering.

This is a chance for all of them to exercise initiative, use judgement, test their skills in the marketplace, and potentially rise to positions of greater responsibility. This is an act of unprecedented trust and generosity. Vocationally, organisationally and financially, the Lord of the Gift has given them the change of a lifetime. This is their defining moment. But what will they do? We are told the first servant (v16). "The man... went at once and put his money to work..."

"At once" isn't so much a chronological detail as a statement about the recognition of reality. The first servant realises that as long as he lives, he will never have another chance like this. He resolves that he would not allow anything to get in his way of seizing this opportunity.

This part of the story has very important implications. The Lord of the Gift has entrusted his property to you and me. Everyone receives a gift. This is not a story where some are gifted and some are not. We are all called by God. We are all equipped and expected to contribute (see 1 Corinthians 12 v7 ; 21-27 ). In place of the word talent, we might think about our life. Our minds. Our abilities. Our spiritual gifts. Our bodies. Our money. Our will. The Lord of the Gift has given them to us, how are going to invest them for him? In fact, we get the meaning of today's understand of the word talent from this very story.

The Lord of the Gift has been very generous. There are no non-talented people in his story. What are we going to use our gifts for? All of us give our lives to something. Between this day and our last day, we will give our lives to something. The question is, what will we give our lives to. Will it be worth it? The practical implication is, I must come to prize and appreciate what the Lord of the Gift has given to me. Let me get more personal: We had better respond at once. The opportunity to use whatever gifts we have in the service of the Lord of the Gift is the chance of a lifetime. But it will slip away from us unless we are very intentional. The time to respond is now.

For the alternative is like the third servant who fails to respond "at once". He takes the greatest gift he will ever be given and buries it (v18). Why would he do such a thing?