How to 'spend' talents

It's hard to buy anything when you're a kid. Saving your allowance takes forever! You get excited if you get money on your birthday; you look for jobs in your neighborhood to earn more. But you're so impatient!

Jesus would have been good at telling you how to earn -- and save -- money. In this week's Gospel (Matthew 25:14-30), He gives some advice on how God expects us to use our money -- and our gifts and talents.

"Heaven," Jesus said, "is like a man who gave his servants money. One servant got two coins and used them to earn four; another used five coins to earn ten. A third got one coin, but just buried it to keep it safe. The first two servants told the master, `I earned twice what you gave me.' They were rewarded. But the third servant said, `I buried your money so I wouldn't lose it.' The master said, `Lazy! You didn't earn any extra.' He took the coin away and gave it to the servant with ten coins. For those who have will get more," Jesus finished, "but those with little will lose that."

When you're trying to save up for a toy, it's hard to give up other things. You still want candy or a cool notebook. The first two servants wanted money, too. They each invested their few coins to earn more, so their master would be proud and give them even more. It must have been hard to save money, instead of spending it!

Sometimes, you try to save money, but end up spending it on less important things. You're disappointed you won't get your toy, but you give up. The third servant gave up on earning money, too. But when he gave back one coin to his master, he gave up more than a toy -- but a chance to have a better job and make his master proud.

Just like money, God gives us talents. We can use them for small things like having fun, or big things like helping others and spending time with God. If you save an allowance, you can get a toy; and if you give up an hour of playing, you can spend time with Jesus. But wasting talents is like wasting money þ you might get a few small things, but you'll miss out on something big: heaven.

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK: Jesus, teach me to spend my money and my gifts from you the best way I can. Amen!

(11-14-96)

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