13 “Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour. 14 For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work270 and gained five more. 17 In the same way, the one who had two gained two more. 18 But the one who had received one talent went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money in it. 19 After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them. 20 The one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, ‘Sir, you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 The one with the two talents also came and said, ‘Sir, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more.’ 23 His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered, ‘Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter? 27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received my money back with interest! 28 Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten. 29 For the one who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30 And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’”
At first I thought nothing of it, but as the days passed by, I began to notice this dissatisfaction with where I was in life. Life is busy. I want my focus to be on teaching and leading my family, but constantly, I am taken away to find work to provide for these. I am working on the apartment for Rachel or taking the dogs for a walk. My devotions are to these external menial tasks (which need to be done), but I am either not finding time to spend time in the morning with Piper or I am finding time to spend with my wife in word; but I consistently say the wrong thing or am not caring enough, and so our time in the word is not spent in the word, but rather spent discussing how I am not doing it right.
Clearly, I need to spend more time with my family, and Praise the Lord! He has revealed that to me through verses like Proverbs 16:8 - "Better is a little with righteousness Than great income with injustice." - which shows me that my satisfaction should be found in God's righteousness and not in the many things that I acquire to my person if they do come with righteousness.
The above verses in Matthew, the parable of talents, shows me that I have been given some things from the Lord (i.e. children - psalm 127:3 & a wife - proverbs 19:14). These, I will be called to give an answer for at the returning of our Lord, and I DO NOT want to be called "you evil and lazy slave" at his returning. I want to give everything I can to my children and my wife. I want to show Christ to them. Ephesians 5 says that I should love my wife as Christ loved the church, giving himself for her. I want to be this to my wife.
In closing, I want to offer encouragement to you men who have wives. Don't give up speaking the word to your wife, no matter how hateful she is towards you. Seek gentleness (2 timothy 2:24-25) and respect her as a fellow heir and the weaker vessel (1 peter 3:7). Show her the gospel through your actions!
Shalom
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