We should also not assume that the less we know about God and His gifts, the less we’ll have to do. “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10). We have been granted the abundant grace of God (Ephesians 1:3–10 3:16–21 Romans 5:8–11 8:14–17), the Word of God, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16–21 16:13 Romans 12:6). It is easy to assume that only wealthy people have been “given much,” but, in truth, we have all been given much (1 Corinthians 4:7). A related parable that also deals with stewardship is the Parable of the Talents (or the Parable of the Bags of Gold) in Matthew 25:14–30. The Lord then summarizes the point of the parable with these words: “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more” (verse 48, ESV). The unfaithful servant mismanages the master’s resources to satiate his own greed, and Jesus warns that judgment is certain for that servant. The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows” (Luke 12:44–47). He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. Jesus continued the parable with a contrast: “Suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. We have been entrusted with certain things, and faithfulness requires that we manage those things wisely and unselfishly. Jesus replied with another parable in which He defines the “faithful and wise manager” as one who gives out food and other allowances “at the proper time.” When the master returns and finds the faithful servant managing his resources well, he “put him in charge of all his possessions” (Luke 12:42–44).
His disciple Peter asked if the parable was for just them or for everyone. In context, Jesus had just told a parable about being ready for His return. If we are blessed with talents, wealth, knowledge, time, and the like, it is expected that we use these well to glorify God and benefit others. The idea of “to whom much is given, much will be required” is that we are held responsible for what we have.
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