Matthew 25:28
“Take away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents.”
What does Matthew 25:28 mean?
In this parable, Jesus is describing what happens when someone refuses to use what God has given them. The servant who buried his one talent out of fear loses it entirely, while the faithful servant who multiplied his talents receives even more responsibility and reward. The hard truth here is that passivity and fear don't keep us safe, they cost us. When we shrink back from using our gifts, abilities, or opportunities, we don't preserve them—we forfeit them. Life moves forward, and so do its blessings. This applies whether we're talking about spiritual gifts, talents, relationships, or even second chances: refusing to engage often means losing what we had in the first place. For anyone feeling stuck or afraid to take the next step, this verse gently challenges us to remember that the risk of trying is usually smaller than the cost of doing nothing.