The Parable of the Talents

I've always been frustrated by the parable of the talents. I guess I never really understood it? I didn't want the third servant, who just buried his talents instead of "investing" his talents, to be reprimanded. (Maybe out of conviction?) But I feel like this blog post by Darryl Dash finally explained it (or convicted me) in a way that really oh, "hit home".

He has six lessons, all of which are must-reads (#4 and #5 especially):

1.) God has given all of us something. 

2.) Nothing we have is ours. 

3.) The amount is irrelevant. 

4.) We're supposed to do something what what we have.
It's not enough to play it safe. I love what D.A. Carson writes: "It is not enough for Jesus’ followers to ‘hang in there’ and wait for the end. They must see themselves for what they are—servants who owe it to their Master to improve what he entrusts to them. Failure to do so proves they cannot really be valued disciples at all." 

5.) It's really about our view of God.
The one servant played it safe because he had a distorted view of his master (Matthew 25:24-25). How I live, and what I do with what God has given me, is really an indication of what I believe to be true about God. 

6.) We're supposed to live for that day when we'll give account.