A Mennonite Talent
November 13, 2011 – Peace Sunday | Patrick Preheim | Matthew 25:14-30

As I sat down to work with this scripture text an advertisement for an annoying television show came to mind:

Do you have an inner talent that needs to be seen? Are you the next Shania Twain, Howie Mandel or do you belong on stage?...Is your child the next Justin Bieber or is your talent something brand new the world has never seen before? Canada’s Got Talent is open to acts of all ages…Think you’ve got talent? Fulfill the dream of a lifetime and sign-up now! (from the gottalent.ca web site)

Nutana Park Mennonite Church has talent. I wonder if individuals or groups among us should sign up to have their talent seen by all. Larry, Bert, and Jeff could tag team on winterizing a bicycle—my bicycle—for safe riding on ice packed streets. Rosemary. Winona, and Evelyn could demonstrate skills of master gardening. Anita, Alan, Patty, Werner and I could collaboratively preach an epic tent-revival style sermon. Hedie, Elma, Norma, Cam, and Jared could apply their artistic talents to a joint canvas. Tammy, Brent, and Wally could display something of the salesmanship, hard work, creativity, ethics, and generosity which make for a successful business. The host of teachers from this congregation could collectively draft high school education curriculum which simultaneously engages youth and teaches something. Our fellowship deacon and her minions could expertly feed the studio audience. After the meal the judge could retire to the sanctuary for a wonderful afternoon of musicians offering their talent. And I say “the judge” because there is but one judge to whom we are accountable for the use of our talents. It is the judge of Matthew 25. He is the bridegroom of the first story of Matthew 25, the master of today’s passage, and the Son of Man who discerns sheep from goats in verses 31 and following. The report card of the judge is not complex. All talent will be evaluated with the following questions: has this talent fed the hungry; has this talent provided water for the thirsty, welcomed the stranger, clothed the naked, tended to the sick and comforted those imprisoned? We know what the exam questions will be. We will have precious little excuse when the judge requests an accounting of our talents.

A story: Paul Joynson-Hicks grew the only boy among four children. His mother was raised in Kenya. Let by her Christian faith she helped build Aids hospices across Britain and Uganda…His father, a lawyer, served on the boards of several non-profit groups. In some ways Paul and his family would have fit in well here at NPMC. After this upbringing Joynson-Hicks skipped college and landed a job as a photographer’s assistant in London, where he built a healthy career in commercial photography. Again, not unlike some of the entrepreneurs among us. In 1993 he moved to Uganda to work on his first book of photos. After its successful publication, he went on a safari with his parents who gave him a new perspective. “So now that you’re here, you’ve got your book, you’ve got a nice life…what are you doing for Uganda?” they asked. “They opened my eyes to the possibility that I had an opportunity to make a difference, and saw in me characteristics I didn’t realize”, Joynson-Hicks recalled. Paul isn’t very good at giving money to beggars at traffic lights. He finds it “awkward and slightly demeaning”. Instead, he finds out who they are and where they are from, and treats them like real human beings. Then he starts a group so that they can help themselves. For example, Mr. Joynson-Hicks incorporated a group called Wonder Welders—a workshop which employs 35 physically disabled persons. Since 1993 this is the fourth business he has founded. Paul starts companies; hires the homeless and destitute; gives them dignity in work which allows them to buy their food, clothes, and the other items of Matthew 25. The investment of his talents has improved thousands of lives across East Africa (Jonathan Kalan, “People Making a Difference” column in The Christian Science Monitor, (Sept 26, 2011), p. 11). Well done, good and trustworthy servant…enter into the joy of your master.

At this point I will interject two theological observations about this text of talents. First I am taken with unyielding energy of the God figure from the three stories of Matthew 25. We might even call it harsh. The people of each story supposedly know “the Lord” and their failures elicit an uncompromising response of the Master. Why this ferocity? The ire of God rises, I believe, when people misappropriate “a good news” meant to change the world. In a highly symbolic gesture in today’s passage, the weakest of the servants tries to bury the talent given to him. And let me tell you, friends, it does not please God when humans bury talents meant for investment. Lighted lamps are not to be buried under baskets (Matt 5.15); disciples are to follow Jesus, not spend their time burying the dead (Matt 8.20-22); a buried Jesus surrounded by a guard is liberated by an earthquake and angel (Matt 28.2). Simply put, God is deeply troubled when we bury talents be they Jesus Christ, a lighted lamp, or the talents we have been given.

The second theological observation is that our image of God helps determine the manner in which we invest our talents. If we focus on the joy / grace/ and favor of God, we will invest our talents fearlessly. If we focus on the harshness of God, we will risk little for the kingdom. How do I get to this position from the text? Let me explain my thinking. The dominant theological concept of the third servant is the harshness of God and it leads him to invest conservatively. The first two servants of the parable, on the other hand, are invited to enter into the χαράv, joy of the master. This word and its cognates mean joy, grace and favor. The joy of God is set against the harshness of God. Perhaps it is this grace filled image of God which allows the first two servants to invest courageously even as it a harsh image of God which handicaps the third servant. Believe it or not, our theological perspective does influence the way we invest ourselves for the kingdom of God. Theology is important. This text invites us to invest our gifts with a joy filled—a grace filled—attitude. This text asks is to consider the theological orientation we carries. Do we fixate on a harsh God or a God of joy? That should make for some interesting Sunday lunch conversation. In summary of these theological musings—when we focus on the high expectations of God we tend to tighten up and miss the opportunity. When we acknowledge our talents and revel in the gracious nature of God who has given them to us, we tend to recklessly use those talents experiencing the joy of the Lord.

This goes for our private talents and also for our collective talent. If we were to position Mennonites as the most limited of the servants in our scripture passage and suggest they have but one talent I would say the peace position is our gift. Based on an understanding that the disciples of Jesus Christ are to follow him in all things, Mennonites have historically stated that conflicts must be resolved without violence. Believe it or not, most Christian traditions today no longer think that Christians are called to imitate Jesus on the point of non-violence. 5th century theologian Augustine of Hippo penned the theological doctrine of just violence which has carried the day among nearly every Christian denomination. In a nutshell Augustine suggested that if the state sanctioned the death of a terrorist, a criminal, an enemy, the unborn it would be acceptable to kill life. Quoting from an article in Christianity Today, a respected journal among Evangelical Christians of North America, the principle of justified violence has “been challenged from many angles. But with the exception of the…(Quakers, Brethren, and Mennonites), mainstream Christianity has stayed to the present day on the course set by Augustine” (Robert Holms, “A time for War?” in Christianity Today (Sept 1, 200)). The response of Mennonites to the likes of Augustine and this article has been simple: give me Jesus. Where in the gospels or any other account of Jesus do we see God incarnate, act violently toward others in a pre-emptive strike or in defense of himself? Where does Jesus invite his disciples to justified violence? On the contrary, the gospels present an unambiguous picture of a non-violence. It may be fancy theology that comes to a just violence position but it is not biblical. It is a Mennonite talent to apply Christianity through the lens of Christ. It is as simple as that and as difficult as that.

I fully recognize a discipleship of non-violence is difficult for those raised in Mennonite congregations let alone those from other faith traditions. Christians have and will enlist in the armed services. Christians will find it hard to love and pray for an enemy in the work place. All of us will fail. I am hopeful that as we confess Jesus as Lord and seek to imitate him we will over time be shaped more deeply in the image of Christ. Mennonites have been entrusted with the gift of being an historic peace church and we are called exercise this talent of non-violence. As our parable suggests, sharing this talent will bring joy. It will bring joy to us as we share and those who willingly shed the burden of grudges and ethnic hostility.

Even as North American Mennonites waver on their peace stance God is raising up other tribes to the stewardship of non-violence. The sad truth of today’s parable is that those who refrain from utilizing their gift have it given to others. I thought of this as I read “A School club for Peace” in the MCC quarterly periodical A Common Place. Zambians, of all people, are spreading the message of non-violence in their community in ways that would make most us anxious. Peace club leader Moffat Mutebele has been able to defuse violent situations in his school. There are 16 such peace clubs throughout Zambia. He and other Zambians are recklessly investing the Mennonite talent and reaping grace and joy (Linda Espenshade, (fall 2011), pp. 14-17). The truth is that we too can do this. We can make peace clubs of our families, church, and social circles. We can talk about the tough choices we face, our fears, and the potential for non-violent solutions. We can trust Christ to guide us, God to strengthen us, and the Holy Spirit to comfort us. This is our history and it will be our future if we are to remain stewards of our Mennonite talent. Well, maybe it no longer is just the Mennonite talent. As the MCC article highlights, the master is ensuring that the talent of peacemaking will flourish somewhere if not everywhere.

Even as we struggle to follow Jesus the Christ our profession of peace will guide us on the journey. Our task is to believe in this talent enough to step out on the path. We certainly need to avoid burying the talents. This day and every day we are invited to invest our talents regardless what the market suggests. This is true for Mennonites, artists, teachers, mechanics, pastors, and the whole people of God. Amen