irritated because he hadn't been given enough resources. If only he'd been given £50,000 instead of just £5,000, he could have made a real killing on the market. But what could he do with such a measly sum? It wasn't worth even trying.
Some of us, perhaps, would say something similar of our opportunity for Christian service. 'If I could preach like Billy Graham I'd be an evangelist. If I was any good at languages I'd be a missionary. If I was musical I'd join the choir or play in a band. If I was academic I'd go to theological college. If I wasn't so shy I'd start a Bible study group in my house. But God has given me so little, it's not worth trying.'
There is a story of the two little Cockney boys who were protesting their life-long devotion to each other. The first little boy said to the other, ‘Hey, Bobby, if you ’ad a million pounds, would you give me ’alf?’
‘’Course I would,’ he said.
‘What about if you ’ad a fousand pounds?’
‘I’d give you ’alf just the same.’
‘What about if you ’ad a fousand marbles?’
‘I’d give you ’alf of ’em,’ he replied.
‘What about if you ’ad two marbles?’
(Pause.) ‘That’s jolly well not fair. You know I’ve got two marbles.’
God wants our two marbles. He is not interested in the hypothetical devotion which we would exercise if only we had got masses of resources, endowments and spiritual gifts at our disposal. He wants our two marbles dedicated in his service. Only thus will we have something to show, he says, on the last day, as evidence that we are men and women of faith, and trustworthy, good servants.
Then he said to those standing by, 'Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.'
‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’
