Anyone who struggles with a fear of failure or debilitating people-pleasing tendencies can easily relate to the third slave in the parable of the talents. Although we might prefer to see ourselves as the hero of the story, the truth is that most of the time we’re not. In this parable, the first two slaves seem to be the heroes, the ones we should emulate. But the juxtaposition between the first two and the third does not necessarily make the third the villain of the story.
This third slave doesn’t do anything wrong per se. He doesn’t squander anything; he doesn’t mistreat or steal from anyone. Entrusted with one talent of his master’s money, he does what he thinks is best: avoids risk, buries the money for safekeeping, and waits for the master’s return.
Although this slave receives the least, one talent was no trivial amount. It could be equivalent to two decades of an ordinary laborer’s wages! In contemporary money, we’re talking about possibly millions of dollars. That’s a huge responsibility. But it is apparently one the master thinks he can handle, as he gives the slaves various amounts “each according to his ability.”
