13/03/2026
Trading with What God Has Given You (Matthew 25:16–22) (Folu Olatona)
Matthew 25:16–17 shows that the servants who received the talents immediately went and traded with them and made more. In this context, trading means actively applying wisdom, skill, and diligence to increase whatever God has entrusted to us. God expects us to use creativity, initiative, and even practical principles such as planning and marketing to develop and multiply the resources He has given us.
This passage teaches that God is interested in growth, productivity, and multiplication. The servants doubled what was entrusted to them, demonstrating that faithful stewardship seeks measurable increase.
Therefore, we must not become discontented with what we have received. Discontentment can lead to negligence, comparison, and ultimately the loss of reward. Instead, we should be grateful and committed to doing our best with every resource God has placed in our hands.
Take time to reflect and write down the gifts, opportunities, and resources in your life—your skills, knowledge, relationships, and ideas. Ask yourself:
How am I developing and applying these gifts so they can multiply for the Master?
Matthew 25:18 presents a contrast. The servant who buried his talent failed to trade with what was entrusted to him. In God’s kingdom, resources do not always come in the form of physical currency. Often, they come as ideas, abilities, opportunities, influence, or spiritual gifts. We are expected to “trade” with these potentials—developing and using them so that our lives produce fruit and profit for God’s kingdom.
Matthew 25:20–22 further shows that the level of return is connected to the level of investment. The servant who received five talents produced five more, while the one with two produced two more. This illustrates an important principle: the output of a venture often reflects the measure of effort, faithfulness, and resources invested into it.
In summary, God calls us to be faithful stewards who actively develop, improve, and multiply what He has entrusted to us for His glory.
