City Life Starter

Written by Scott Fiddler

The Word

14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Matthew 25:14-30 (NASB)

Reflection

I recognize that mentioning Woody Allen in a devotional is probably not in line with devotional writing best practices, but my impiety is not without purpose. In his 1997 film, Deconstructing Harry, Woody Allen explored—through a character who was a thinly veiled caricature of himself—the question of how someone can be so successful in art and such a failure in his personal life. If you are familiar with Woody Allen, you understand how thinly veiled this caricature was. 

The successful-in-art failure-in-life irony is exemplified at the end of the movie when Allen’s character, a famous writer, has to pay a prostitute to attend a ceremony with him where he receives an honorary degree for his writing because he cannot find anyone else to go with him. Allen doesn’t offer much of an answer to the question of why people who are so successful in their work can be such failures in their personal lives, and I don’t think he has the answer. But at least he is thoughtful enough to see the problem, and he is really funny, which makes many of his movies worth a watch.  

Now, as Christians we would probably phrase the question as, “Why do people with so little character often achieve so much success?” The examples are all around us—good men who were bad presidents, great athletes with no integrity, and writers who became alcoholics. We can all think of examples. So, why do people with so little character often achieve so much success? Or better, why doesn’t character inevitably lead to success?  I think the answer is in our failure to understand character.

 If we look at those who succeed in business, the arts, and athletics, we would have to say that if there is one common denominator it would be excellence. We have to acknowledge that excellence is a much better predictor of success than integrity, as much as we would like it to be the other way around. But in response to this acknowledgement we need not—as I have seen some do—attempt to redefine success. If we do that, we are merely compromising with the same culture that would sacrifice excellence on the altar of self-esteem.

So, what if excellence is actually a virtue? In other words, what if excellence is an example of good character? I think it is. Jesus didn’t just turn water into wine; He turned water in to excellent wine. John 2:10. The people declared of Jesus, “Behold He does all things well.” Mark 7:37. When God finished creating the heavens and the earth, He declared the excellence of what He had created. See Genesis 1:31. We serve a God who is excellent. Psalm 150:2. Excellence is part of the character of God.

Now, if this is true—and I believe it is—we can rethink what we have always misunderstood. Tiger Woods, despite his past infidelities, actually does have some character, as does/did Michael Jackson, Ernest Hemingway, and even Woody Allen. They are all excellent at what they do (or did) in their work; they had that part of character that is most likely to lead to success, even though they lacked other parts of character that make one successful as a person. Proverbs’ statement—“Do you see a man skilled in his labor; he will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men”—is not so much a promise as a description of reality. See Proverbs 22:29. If Christians valued excellence as much as they value honesty and integrity, they would rule the world.

I think this is one of the key messages of the Parable of the Talents. The master gave to each according to his ability or excellence, not his integrity or honesty. Matt. 25:14-15. This is the way of the kingdom of God. King Jesus entrusts people, places, and things to those who have proven themselves competent and excellent in regard to those tasks. The best lawyers generally get the biggest cases and the biggest fees; the best doctors the hardest cases and the biggest fees, and the best musicians and athletes the biggest crowds and contracts.  And this is the way it should be. The most difficult problems in reconciling the world to King Jesus should be entrusted to those who are best able to solve those problems.

Application

So, instead of bemoaning how unfair the world is that “bad” people tend to be more successful than “good” people, maybe we need a more complete understanding of what goodness encompasses. And understanding that excellence is a virtue, we should pursue excellence as we pursue honesty, integrity, and fidelity.

Prayer

Lord, help me to be excellent at what You have called me to be so I can truly be a man of character. Amen.