I find it amazing how subtly God works! In fact, what I am going to share with you today is SOOOO subtle that you are really going to have to pay close attention, OR you just might not catch it! Are you ready? Are you wide awake – – you know, bright eye and bushy tailed? Ok – – here we go!

I am going to start with Mt. 25:14-30, THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS :

“¹⁴ For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. ¹⁵ And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey. ¹⁶ Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. ¹⁷ And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. ¹⁸ But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money. ¹⁹ After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. ²⁰ And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. ²¹ His lord said unto him, 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. ²² He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. ²³ His lord said unto him, Well done, 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. ²⁴ Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:

²⁵ And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. ²⁶ His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: ²⁷ Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. ²⁸ Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. ²⁹ For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. ³⁰ And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Now, here comes the subtle, and to me, intriguing part: In New Testament times, a talent was worth $16,500 if it was a Talent of Silver, and $1,400,000 if it was a Talent of Gold! EITHER way, it was A LOT of money. Today, however, when we think of talents, we think of “abilities.” So, if you make that switch in the Parable, you find that one servant had five abilities, one servant three abilities, and one servant one ability. The first two used their abilities for the master, the third one didn’t. And, the third one had his ability taken away and given to the first!

I don’t know about you, but I don’t have enough Talents (abilities) for God to be taking any away and giving them to someone else! In fact, and I say this in ALL sincerity, I believe that somewhere there is an individual who use to be a REALLY good writer who didn’t use that Talent (ability) for the Kingdom, and, as a result, the Master took that Talent (ability) away from them and gave it to ME! You see, I used my Spiritual Gift (Teaching) for the Kingdom, and, as a result, I believe God gave me that person’s Talent (ability).

Why do I think that? Well, for eighteen years I sent out Letters of Query about articles and works of completed Fiction. The Result?

216 months of “Thanks, but no thanks!” Then, I started getting things published. LOTS of things: 450+ Articles, 24+ Novellas, and 4 Novels. I have helped dozens of others get their books published through my publishing

Company (MORGAN WYNN PUBLISHING), and have my own online Christian Magazine, GOD’S GOOD NEWS GAZETTE (www.godsgoodnewsgazette.com). Why? Because I was a good steward with the Talents (abilities) God gave me!

That’s leads us full circle back to my original question: What are YOUR Talents worth? And, perhaps more importantly, do you have enough that you can afford to have the Master take some away and give them to someone else? Today’s GOOD NEWS – – use your Talents (abilities) for the Master, and you won’t have to worry about losing any of them!!!