Risky Business?

Treasure Map…because what's most valuable gets hidden, right?

Stories about people in authority leaving subordinates in charge of property usually do not end very well.  Think of the movie Risky Business.  The young man portrayed by Tom Cruise begins celebrating his freedom by dancing in his underwear, sock feet, and sunglasses, singing “Old Time Rock n Roll” by Bob Seger.  Pretty innocuous, right?  But by the end of the movie he’s running a prostitution ring out of his parents’ house to make up the money needed for ruining his father’s Porsche.  

It seems that when stories are set up with parents, land owners, whomever, leaving someone in charge who is not normally left in charge, who would not normally receive massive amounts of responsibility, the outcome is bad news.

There is a parable that begins with the words, “A man going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them.”  And between three slaves he splits eight talents—one slave gets five, the second gets two, and the third gets one talent.

Maybe we should get on the same page about this word talent.  A talent is a monetary unit worth more than fifteen years’ wages.  So slave one gets 75 years’ wages, slave two gets 30 years’ wages, and slave three gets 15 years’ wages.  Approximately.

But before we get stuck in the rabbit hole of wage comparison—and financial understanding of what that kind of money looks like today—we need to stop.  We need to stop because this parable isn’t about the money.

No, this isn’t a Jerry Maguire parable that’s all about “Show me the money!” (TWO Tom Cruise references so far…I’m not trying, really I’m not…)

It’s not about the money.

It’s about fear.

The slave who was entrusted with 15 years’ wages dug a hole in his back yard and buried it.  All of it.  Why?  Because that’s a lot of money to be trusted with and he knows—just like most of us would—that if that money got stolen—or if he wrecked his master’s Porsche in the Lake—that he would be up a creek with nary a paddle.  A slave can’t generate that kind of money.

But it’s not about money.  It’s about fear.

This slave is afraid of his master.  He’s afraid of what will happen if he does something with the money and he loses it, or if someone steals it.  He’s afraid.  He doesn’t trust his master to be merciful or forgiving.

So what does this have to do with us?  Because it’s not about money. 

I’ve talked in churches past about spiritual gifts because that is such an easy thing to bash people over the heart and head with…

“Look at what God has given you, can’t you see God wants a return on investment?”

No matter which way you do this, it all ends in fear.  Because the one who doesn’t give a return on investment gets tossed into outer darkness…and knows weeping and gnashing of teeth…and all that happiness…

But when you start with the slave’s fear, when you start with his lack of trust in his master, and when you understand that parables are usually about how God wants to relate with the world and wants the world to relate to one another and with God, then maybe I shouldn’t end in a place that says, “Use what God has given you…or else!” 

Maybe we start with “Don’t be afraid to risk the most precious thing God has given you.”  Because the ones who weren’t afraid of risking these super-duper valuable things entered into joy.

And truth be told, I can’t think of a more valuable trust than the ministry of reconciliation.  I can’t think of a greater treasure we can receive than that.

And truth be told, there are times I bury that thing in my backyard; not because I’m afraid it will be stolen…but because I’m afraid of what it means to risk forgiving someone.  I mean really forgiving them.  And so I miss out on entering into the joy of a full and grace-filled relationship.  And sometimes--especially when we bury that gift--those relationships wither in a place like death.

Sad isn’t it?  But maybe you relate.

I want to enter into joy. I want to know the depths of grace.  I want to risk sharing it with everyone.  I want to feast at the banquet where all of us can gather in joy and know the freedom that comes with not being afraid.