Parable of the Talents

[Gregory Matthews]

Matthews 25:14-30 tell the well known story of a person who gave his servants some money to invest.  Then at a later time, he asked them to account for the use that they had made of the money given them.

Well, you all know the story.

How do you take this story, convert it to the modern society in which we live today and present it to our youth in a manner that they learn the lessons that it was supposed to teach.

For such a modern adaptation see the post below.

 

[Gregory Matthews]

Lighthouse School Offers Leadership/Entrepreneurship Classes  » At Lighthouse Christian School, students in grades 5-8 are catching the vision of leadership through the help of Pastor Rex Bell. Pastor of the Fort Morgan Church, he is the director and creator of a new monthly Leadership and Entrepreneurship program. 

   Students were overjoyed on kick-off day, September 15. “Is this real?!  Wow!  I can’t believe it!” replied thirteen ecstatic students who were on Cloud Nine. Each had received a crisp, fifty-dollar bill as a challenge to use wise leadership and entrepreneurial skills to see what they could make of this unexpected gift.
   “I am going to buy ingredients to make cookies, then sell the cookies in my neighborhood!” reported Noeli Hernandez, grade five. “I think I am going to put my money into a savings account to earn interest to pay for academy tuition,” voiced Kyra Baquera, grade six.  “My money is going straight into my savings account, too!” added Clark Cinco, grade eight.
   During the presentation, Pastor Bell inspired students to be brave leaders. “Leadership is influence. Everyone is a leader because everyone has influence. What kind of leader will you be?” Students were reminded that part of leadership is money management. After sharing the parable of the talents as found in Matthew 25, Pastor Bell presented each student with their fifty-dollar bill. “Use your leadership skills wisely," Pastor Bell told them, "because in January, you will report to the group what you did with your fifty dollars, and then you will receive another fifty dollars!”
   Lighthouse students were also honored by guest speakers -- Ed Barnett, RMC presiden;, and Kelly Siebrands, owner of the Fort Morgan State Farm Agency.
Painting a picture of leadership, Barnett told them, "God calls young people to become leaders.”  He pointed to the life of Samuel and Joseph, young men who served as strong leaders. “The key to leadership is walking with Jesus every day. Christian leadership is all about being faithful to God.” He ended by sharing his story of how God called him to be a minister at age fourteen.
   Mr. Kelly Siebrands concluded by sharing specific strategies and secrets of being a successful entrepreneur. “Leadership comes with responsibility. Use your community’s resources to help your money grow.”  He explained how savings accounts and the stock market work, and told them that choices involve risks. “Remember, people will judge you based on how you act. It doesn’t matter if you have a million dollars if you are horrible to others.” 
   Lighthouse students look forward to hearing more each month from Kelly, who will go into greater depth with the students on the subject of investments.
[Text and photo by Jodie Aakko]

 

NOTE:  The above was taken from The Rocky Mountain News Nuggets.