The Parable of the Talents: Are You Burying Your Relationship Potential?

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the famous Parable of the Talents. A master goes on a journey and entrusts his property to his servants. To one he gives five talents, to another two, and to another one.

When the master returns, the first two servants present him with a profit. They took what they were given, worked with it, and multiplied it. The master says, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

But the third servant tells a different story. He brings back the exact same coin he was given, covered in dirt.

"Master, I knew you to be a hard man... and I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground." (Matthew 25:24-25)

The Master’s response is shocking. He calls this servant "wicked and lazy." Why? The servant didn't steal the money. He didn't lose the money. He simply protected it.

But in the Kingdom, self-protection that leads to stagnation is not stewardship. It is disobedience.

1. Fear Buries Potential

We often read this parable and think about money or business. But apply this to relationships.

God has given you a "talent." He has given you the capacity to love, the desire for companionship, and the ability to build a Kingdom family. That desire is a resource He expects you to steward.

But many of us are exactly like the third servant. We have been hurt in the past. We have seen divorce. We have experienced heartbreak. So, we view love as "hard" and risky.

Out of fear, we dig a hole and bury our hearts.

• We hide behind spiritual-sounding excuses like, "I'm just waiting on God," when really, we are hiding from vulnerability.

• We refuse to go on dates because we are terrified of rejection.

• We self-sabotage good relationships because we are waiting for the other shoe to drop.

We think we are keeping our hearts safe. But really, we are just keeping them barren.

2. Stewardship Requires Risk

Notice that the Master was angry with the servant not because he took a bad risk, but because he did nothing. He played it safe.

The servant’s logic was: "If I bury this, I can't lose it." The Master’s logic was: "If you bury this, you can't use it."

Kingdom stewardship always requires risk.

• To love is to risk not being loved back.

• To trust is to risk being let down.

• To hope is to risk disappointment.

But "safe" love is not love at all. C.S. Lewis famously wrote: "To love at all is to be vulnerable. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable."

If you bury your heart to keep it safe from pain, you also keep it safe from joy. You will return your heart to God exactly as it is: unused, grown cold, and alone.

3. The "Wickedness" of Passivity

It sounds harsh that Jesus called the servant "wicked." But passivity is wicked because it denies God the glory of your story.

When you refuse to date, refuse to heal, or refuse to try again because you are afraid, you are telling God: "I don't trust You enough to step out."

You are holding onto your singleness (your "one talent") so tightly that God cannot exchange it for the family He wants to give you. You are choosing the safety of the hole over the abundance of the harvest.

The Conclusion: Dig It Up

If you are reading this and you realize you have buried your hope for marriage, it is time to grab a shovel.

Dig it up.

• If you have buried your ability to trust, dig it up.

• If you have buried your vulnerability, dig it up.

God cannot multiply what you keep hidden in the ground. He can only bless what you put into circulation. Put your heart out there. Take the risk. Go on the date. Open your hands.

That is faithful stewardship. And that is how you hear, "Well done."

Ready to Be Found?

If you are cultivating good soil—free from distraction, rooted in truth, and ready to bear fruit—now is the time to position yourself for a God-ordained connection.