Unveiling the Parable: Navigating Faith, Success, and the Quiet Triumphs in 'The Other Ones' by Steve Garnaas

He Hid His Lord's Money - St Edward the Martyr's Church Corfe Castle, Dorset

In this weeks gospel reading, we're trying to wrap our heads around a tricky story—specifically, the Parable of the Talents from Matthew. Imagine a boss giving some cash to his crew before taking off, hoping they'll make it grow. But here's the twist: one guy doubles his money and is stoked, while another buries his share in darkness, catches flak, and faces consequences. In the middle of this head-scratcher, we're trying to figure out what it says about taking care of stuff, fairness, and how we live out our faith in a world that can be pretty confusing.

As we mull over the Gospel teachings, our thoughts naturally shift to the whole deal of having faith and doing good. This sets the stage for a poem we're about to check out—a modern take on the Parable of the Talents. The poem shines a light on the tough times faced by those who might not hit it big by society's standards but are all about love, forgiveness, and telling it like it is. It links up these challenges with what Jesus went through, making us rethink what success really means. It suggests that success isn't all about flashy wins but might quietly show up in acts of kindness and love. So, as we switch gears from the old-school story to this modern twist, let's keep our hearts open to picking up some real-talk wisdom that vibes with the lasting values of our faith.

The other ones By Steve Garnaas

“Master, you handed over to me five talents;
see, I have made five more talents.”—Matthew 25.20



And what of the others,
the ones who faithfully took the talents
but didn’t make a killing in the stock market?
The one who forgave seventy times seven
and it came to nothing.
The one who marched in protests
and wrote to her senator but it was ignored.
One who loved her enemy
and they just scorned her.
The one who prayed and meditated
but never once kept his mind from wandering.
The one whose praise was never accepted.
The one who sang the song of their soul
and it wasn’t really all that lovely.
The one who told the truth and looked like a fool.
The one who shared his faith
and nobody, not a soul, cared or believed.
The one who really loved Jesus
but didn’t ever see what she had to offer.
What of them?
To them the master turns and says gently,
“Well done, good and faithful servant.
I know of one who served perfectly,
and ended in failure, crucified.
You have been trustworthy over a few things.
I will put you in charge of greater things.
For love is always risked, never wasted.”

Feel free to carry the essence of this poem with you as you go about the rest of your evening. 

Blog by: Shane St Reynolds.