Don’t Bury What God Entrusted To You

Don’t Bury What God Entrusted to You

“To whom much is given, much will be required.” — Luke 12:48

Introduction

Every one of us has been entrusted by God with something valuable: time, gifts, talents, influence, wisdom, relationships, and opportunities. These are not accidental or insignificant. They are sacred trusts. What we do with them matters not just for our own lives, but for God’s kingdom.

Yet, how often do we bury these blessings out of fear, laziness, insecurity, or complacency?

In Matthew 25, Jesus tells a story that warns against this very mindset.

1. The Parable of the Talents: A Call to Responsibility

“To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his ability.”

— Matthew 25:15

A “talent” in biblical times was a large sum of money, but symbolically, it represents everything God entrusts to us.

Three servants are given resources while their master is away. Two of them invest what they were given and double it. But the third servant does something different:

“But he who had received one went and dug in the ground and hid his lord’s money.”

— Matthew 25:18

This servant buried his trust. And when the master returned, he was not only unproductive—he was called wicked and lazy (Matthew 25:26). Why? Because he chose inaction over responsibility.

2. Fear and Insecurity Can Lead to Burying

Many people don’t use what God has given them—not because they are evil, but because they are afraid.

“I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground.”

— Matthew 25:25

This is a common trap. We fear:

Failure: “What if I try and mess up?”

Comparison: “Others are better than me.”

Judgment: “What will people say?”

Inadequacy: “I don’t have enough.”

But God never demands equal results, only faithful use of what we have.

“God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

— 2 Timothy 1:7

Faithful obedience always outweighs flashy outcomes in the eyes of God.

3. You Are a Steward, Not an Owner

“What do you have that you did not receive?”

— 1 Corinthians 4:7

Everything we possess—talents, resources, time—is a gift from God. That means we are not owners, but stewards. And stewards must give account.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace.”

— 1 Peter 4:10

If you can encourage, teach, build, write, sing, serve, lead, organize, or comfort—do it. Someone’s healing, breakthrough, or growth may depend on your obedience.

4. God Blesses Faithfulness, Not Just Fruitfulness

“Well done, good and faithful servant.”

— Matthew 25:21

The master didn’t say “Well done, successful servant.” He praised faithfulness.

God doesn’t require you to have ten talents. He honors you when you faithfully use the one He gave you. It’s not about how much you produce, but whether you obeyed and invested what you had.

5. What Happens If We Bury What God Gave Us?

The parable ends with the servant losing even the little he had (Matthew 25:28). This is a sobering truth: gifts not used can be lost. Influence unused can fade. Opportunities ignored may not return.

God will raise up someone else to carry out His will—but you will miss the reward of partnering with Him.

6. Use What You’ve Been Given—For His Glory

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

— Matthew 5:16

God has entrusted you with something eternal. Don’t bury it. Don’t hide it. Don’t delay. Sow it. Invest it. Shine it. The world needs what God put inside you.

When you release what’s in your hands, God multiplies it beyond what you can imagine.

Final Challenge: What’s in Your Hands?

“Moses said to God, ‘What if they do not believe me?’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’”

— Exodus 4:1–2

God used Moses’ staff—a simple shepherd’s stick—as a tool for miracles. What’s in your hand? A gift, a voice, a pen, a skill, a resource?

Whatever it is, don’t bury it.

Use it. God is not asking for perfection—He’s asking for faithfulness.