THE Unused Talent And The Hidden Light

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20086, 4 November 1939, Page 13

THE Unused Talent And The Hidden Light

MOW many of us in recent years, as we have thought of the world n situation, have had a sense of futility! We heartily wish a better condition of a (fairs—world peace, social security, and a host of things which we feel sure that men in general ought to have. But what can we do about it?

Great leaders seem powerless, the wisest of statesmen and political thinkers do not seem able to agree or to eflect much, and even religious leaders are not conspicuously successful when it comes to action—so what can I, a humble Christian with good aspirations but no special gifts, be expected to do? Which of us has not been saving, or at least thinking, something like that?

Is it not also true that consciousness of inability to do much hqs been in many cases followed by settling down to do nothing?

From reflections such as the foregoing it was easy for us to turn io thoughts of the World, and particularly to the solemn warnings of our Lord to his disciples that they should lay aside the sin which so easily besets those not richly endowed or who are placed in a very humble and limited sphere—the sin of lhe unused talent or the hidden light.

In his parabolic teaching the Lord Jesus Christ recorded a condemnation passed upon a man for doing no better or worse than many a one calling himself Christian. In the parable of the talents, Jesus represented one servant who was entrusted with five talents as gaining other five and being rewarded. Another servant, who had received two talents and was faithful and successful in trading and gained other two, received praise and offer of reward in precisely the same terms as the farmer. But a third, who had been entrusted with only one talent, hid his Lord's money in the earth and sought, when the day of reckoning came, to give it back uninjured but unimproved. This faithless servant was condemned in the strongest of terms, though he had not squandered tiro money. Lack of use brought punishment just as misuse would have done. Special Temptation We have often asked the question, Why did Jesus represent the onetalented man an the unfaithful one? Not all who receive five talents are faithful —look around and see. Not all middle-class disciples, two-talented men, are faithful. And certainly not all who receive only one talent are unfaithful. Our review of the saints of God in ancient and modern times makes it clear that many of lire noblest of ihe faithful belong to the class of the one-talented. We think that the answer to our question simply consists in this that our Lord, knowing the special temptation of the men of humble gills and comparatively little opportunity, gave a special warning to keep them from sinning. Such people, humble and timid, are apt to argue that what they can do is negligible by comparison with the efforts of gifted people. If they do anything, it will make little or no difference; and if they do nothing, the lack of effort will never be noticed. ■

Contributed by the Ministers’ Association

We do not stop to moralise. But surely all of us know that faithful humble Christians have often been used by God to turn the steps of greater men into paths of Christian service, and that their faithfulness lias stimulated others io higher Christian living. For the present we arc content to note our Lord’s warning. Familiar Teaching The other solemn passage which comes to mind is the familiar teaching of the Sermon on the Mount: “Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto till that are in the house. Even so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven,”

As before the thought is one of faithfulness. We may not have great talents or influence, but we do have some ability and opportunity of service. In humble faithfulness in the most limited sphere, we discharge our obligation of service and also influence other lives. We cannot shine as a great arc light, but as a candle on a table, or a lamp on the stand, we can give some light and guidance to others. Every little helps. To withdraw or hide the feeblest light which might illumine the way for others is to be unfaithful and will be condemned. Guidance to Others The following selected article on “By Lantern Light” points the lesson which we would inculcate:

“I have been recalling a night walk I once took in Jersey (writes A.IT. in The Christian World). I had been spending the day with friends' whose house was built on a hillside overlooking the sea. At the foot of the hill ran a narrow path which led eventually to the village of Gorey. I had stayed later than I intended, and it was growing rapidly dark when I left my friends’ house. My hostess said, ‘You'd better take our handlantern, The path’s narrow and twisting; the lantern will show you your way for a couple of yards ahead.’ I took the lantern and began my descent. I can see that narrow path now, in memory. My small light showed me detail —wild flowers, ferns; once I saw some creature —-a stoat perhaps—flash across the track. Just for a yard or two ahead I saw things in detail. Beyond that—nothing.

“Well, I reached the main track in safety, and was soon back in Gorey. “The next day rather a curious thing happened. A visitor told me he had been for a long tramp the previous

night. Coming back towards Gorey. he felt himself almost completely at sea as to his direction; and to make matters worse, it was rapidly growing dark. But to his great relief he saw a moving light, far up on a hillsidehalf a mile or more away. As the light was a moving one he concluded that someone was coming down to the valley, and to the track he himself was seeking. So lie waited, and watched. When the lantern-bearer reached the valley path he followed him and reached Gorey in safety.

“That incident still lives vividly in my memory. My lantern only showed me my path a couple of yards ahead. But a man half a mile away in the valley had been helped by its light. It is worth while to see that our own small lanterns are in good repair. They shine farther than we know.”