I believe that every so often we should stop for a minute and think about our journey in life.
Where did I come from?
Where am I going?
How did I get here?
Every time that I analyze these questions, I always end thinking about a Sunday during my childhood.
Every Sunday the Norberto’s went to church in my beloved town of San Cristobal, Dominican Republic.
There’s a moment in time when I was at church that I’ll never forget. The preaching stood out to me like it hadn’t before and I had a revelation during a time of the reading of the Bible. There’s no doubt in my mind that the content and reflection of that reading changed my life forever in that moment.
It was the first time that I heard the Parable of the talents (or as we call it bags of Gold).
“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. (Matthew 25: 14-18)
The interpretation that I heard about the complete parable has been paramount in all aspects of my life. So you understand the whole story; the parable continued by saying that the master praised the servant that invested the coins but publicly reprimanded the servant that didn’t invest the coins.
During those times, there was a very dynamic Spanish priest in my town. He was an extraordinary preacher and speaker with a very powerful voice. His voice echoed so loud in the temple. I still remember the following words:
“Each one of us has talent(s) given to us by the LORD. If your talent is your voice, then SING with everything you have, if your talent is music, then play beautifully for the LORD, if your talent is academics then Study hard. One thing you should never do is to neglect the development of those talents”
Needless to say that when I heard that explanation what came to my mind was “well, that settle it, I have to study very hard and be the best doctor I can possibly be”!
In other words, the bags of Gold are talents that God has given to each of us. Our mission is to work at them and develop them. This process is a journey with ups and downs, but one thing for sure “It is worthwhile to give everything you have in developing your talents”
Here is the end of the parable, so you realize how important it is to work hard:
“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Matthew 25: 26-30