Thankful Versus Driven: Balancing Faith and Goals

One of the most challenging stories in the Bible is the story of the "ten talents" (Matthew 25:14-30). Basically the master of a household goes away on a trip and bequeaths some money to each of three servants. The first and second go out and earn interest on the money while the third servant, fearing his master's wrath if he should lose the money, buries the cash and hands it back to his master intact upon his return. For his fearful scheme he is punished, thrown "out into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

What do you think of the actions of the master in this parable? Everyone knows he is an apparently hard man, opportunistic, perhaps even ruthless. Of him the third servant beckoned, "I know you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed."

What a grim lesson we find in this passage. On one hand the servant is apparently respectful of his master's wrath. He is also apparently thankful for having been given the money entrusted to him by his master. He does not squander it, but neither does he make it grow.

The spiritual lesson here is that master is God himself. The "talents" in this story represent the gifts given to us by God. It is ours to go out and grow the kingdom, or we risk losing all that we've been given including the favor of God, which would include eternal salvation.

The practical lesson here is a survival strategy for life on earth. The Bible wisely shows it understands the driven nature of the secular world. While not exactly an endorsement for the fact that life is "survival of the fittest," this parable does capture the sometimes harsh realities of business. Not every manager is willing to wait around for results. If you screw up, you're fired.

It doesn't help to argue that the master's expectations were not clearly laid out. Most managers expect employees and anyone who serves them to show initiative. By proxy we learn that God expects the same of us too. There are other examples of this principle at work in the Bible. Most notably the passage in Matthew 22 in which Jesus is quoted "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and unto God things that are God's." Here we find a crucial but potentially difficult divide. This simple statement tells us that we'll have to work for a living and meet the expectations of society, it's government, our employers and managers. But we should still save energy and work to do the right thing in this world. That is God's plan for us.

The drive to do God's will can come with a price. Being honest in the workplace, for example, may not always bring the dividends we might hope. If you're not careful, calling an unscrupulous manager's bluff can even get you fired. One has to weigh carefully the drive to do God's will in this world. It is always good to follow your conscience, but it can also be wise to pick your spots and find the right way and time to act. Often it is possible to carry on your work without compromising your principles. Wait for the unscrupulous to trip up. It often happens. Pray for wisdom, patience and insight on how to conduct yourself. But most of all, forgive. Often people act in ways that they might not otherwise do when they are under pressure. People change. Give support and respect the harsh manager the best way you can. Try to figure out what it is they want, then set out to get it the right way. Be driven and be thankful for the opportunity to carry out God's will the best way you know how. Be content and not overly righteous, either, lest you undermine your own efforts by appearing holier than thou.

God wants us to be thankful but driven. Be thankful even for difficult tests, for each opportunity to learn and be refined makes us better people. Think big and make goals, then set out to achieve them. That's when you'll find God closest to your side.