talents

I was asked to preach on November 16 because we're in the midst of a stewardship drive and I am currently the head of the Stewardship Committee.  I've been meaning to post this and failing to get around to it -- here it is now.  Better late than never!  The last part is more specific to our congregation, but hopefully the larger issue is a useful one.

Sermon: Matthew 25:14-30

November 16, 2014

            Imagine my glee when I learned this week’s Gospel reading was the Parable of the Talents… on a day I planned to talk about Time and Talent.  Here we’re presented with the story of three slaves.  (We’re back in first century Palestine now, so think “slave” as in bound servant, not “slave” as in chattel slavery of the antebellum United States.  These people were unfree, but probably not as restricted in their movements and their opportunities as those held under American slavery.) 

Clearly, these slaves must have differed in their attributes, because their master granted them different responsibilities based upon his perception of these attributes.  Two proved wise in their stewardship of the “talents” they were given; one was not.  The unwise servant had his talent taken from him, given to the one who had wisely husbanded his great responsibilities—but it’s worth noting that none of these slaves had been handed an easy job. 

A “talent” was a piece of money worth more than fifteen years’ wages for a laborer.  This master had allocated over 120 years’ worth of wages to three slaves.  That’s a shocking amount of trust.  The master provided extravagant opportunities to all three of his slaves—extravagant opportunities to exercise good stewardship of the property with which they had been entrusted.  Two made wise use of the master’s property.  One chose not to, and clearly Jesus views his example as one not to follow.

What do you think about when you think about service?

I admit that when I think about service, my mind turns toward hands-on connection with people.  Working at a soup kitchen… offering shelter to the homeless… caring for the sick… playing with needy children… this is what I think of when I think of “service.”

And I really, really, really stink at doing these things.

I’m shy.  I can get up here and talk to all of you at the remove this format provides, but it’s taken me years to get to the point where I can carry on semi-normal small talk.  I HATE mingling.  The sharing of the peace is the most stressful part of Sunday worship.

  In addition, I have strong obsessive compulsive tendencies.  I struggle every day to keep my irrational fears of germs at bay.  Usually I’m able to do this, but believe me, it isn’t an ideal mental orientation for performing hands-on service work.

Some of you are awesome at hands-on caring.  You have the capacity to comfort the sick, care for the poor, provide food to the hungry, and play with little kids.  This is Kingdom work—you’re using your “talents” well.

But what about the rest of us?

I’m not a theologian, but I’ve absorbed enough in my Good Lutheran Upbringing to be able to share with you today the Good News that God made you just the way you are.  God made me just the way I am, misanthropic tendencies, OCD, and all.  God made us with unique gifts and attributes.  We all have “talents.”  And the one thing God asks of all of us, regardless of “talent,” is to use that talent.

Some of you may be aware that I serve on the Board of Directors of Lutheran Community Services Northwest.  We, of course, enjoy quite a strong connection these days to the work of LCS through “Mary’s Place,” and you all have reason to be deeply proud of the way we’ve used our “talents” to provide a space for Yamhill County’s relief nursery ministry.  Our little congregation has inspired another church in town to raise money for a “Mary’s Place” transport van.  We are an example to others.  That’s an honor and a trust.

In addition to A Family Place, however, LCSNW does God’s work in an astounding variety of contexts throughout Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.  LCS Advocates help abuse victims in Spokane.  LCS works with Crook County to provide wrap-around services in the county justice system.  It provides drug and alcohol treatment in Klamath Falls.  LCS’ Portland office is one of the leading refugee resettlement agencies in the region.  Just last month at the Portland regional fundraising luncheon we honored the Portland area director, Salah Ansary, for his 30 years of service to LCSNW.  Salah came to this country from Afghanistan in 1978—as a refugee.  He’s devoted his working life to helping others who face the devastating upheaval of having to leave family, friends, country, and culture, not because they want to, but because they have to. 

At this luncheon we honored a family that had come from Iraq to the United States just last spring.  They’d fled from Iraq to Syria and back again before finding sanctuary here in the Pacific Northwest.  An Iraqi-born doctor who was himself a refugee of the first Gulf War shared their story.  Three generations of refugees.  How inspiring it must be to that Iraqi family that the guy in charge of the office serving them has himself been in their shoes.

Let me say that I would be horrible at personally doing any of this good work.  I wouldn’t know what to say.  I wouldn’t know how to cope.  These hands-on skills are not the gifts God has granted to me. 

What can I do?  I can listen.  I can understand.  I can analyze.  I can use my analytical skills to ask important questions.  I can review policies and procedures.  I can provide the behind-the-scenes leadership support to empower the CEO and his staff to perform these vital services.  I can ensure proper governance structures are in place to protect and provide for our many dedicated staff and volunteers.

And I am so very, very thankful I have this opportunity to share my talents in a way that furthers the work of God’s Kingdom.

What can you do?  How can you serve?  Service might be hands-on… or it might not.  Your time and talents are needed—because they’re how God carries out God’s work in this world.  Our gifts are entrusted to us, not to be buried in the ground, but to be used according to the unique skills and capacities we each have been given.  Jesus has harsh words for those who refuse to use their talents.  In this parable, the one who has failed to exercise his responsibility loses that which he has been granted.  But we can serve “the least of these” in many different ways. 

As part of this Stewardship Drive we ask you to prayerfully consider your allocation of Time and Talents to this congregation.  We know you serve outside this body, too, just as I do—but we need the benefit of your gifts if this congregation is to serve as God’s hands and feet in the world.  You might opt to serve on Care Team, or to serve on Council.  You might have gifts that equip you to teach Sunday School, or you might be a reliable behind-the-scenes altar steward or Property and Grounds committee member in the making.  Remember, we are already an example to the rest of the community.  As I mentioned, that’s an honor and a trust.  The work of “Mary’s Place” will exponentially benefit from the leadership we’ve provided.  How will we inspire the growth of the community’s “talents” in the future?