There is a famous parable about a master who gives talents to his slaves.

“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Matthew 25:14-30

I’ve read this parable many times and heartily agreed with God how wicked this servant was to do nothing with the gifts He had given. Oh, I would never be like that!, I thought. I will always work hard for the Lord!

How many times I’ve read this parable and couldn’t see myself in that wicked servant, but today I do. How often I have said, “Master, I know You to be a just Judge punishing the wicked, so I have not fully committed to the effort required to work out my salvation, because I am afraid You will judge my failures harshly. It is enough that I fail at everyday things; must I add to my guilt the punishment of such huge failures as educating the children You have given me?”

By His grace, I have not lived in that way of thinking, but I must be honest: I’ve taken long, cold vacations there.

This is my public confession because I have published on here things that came from this wicked way of thinking, and I must renounce this downtrodden spirit I’ve let hang over so many of my words — written and spoken, definitely thought. I may come across many people who are “harsh masters”, but the Lord is not one of them.

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. I’ve been saying this for a long time, but I think I really believe it now.