"Enter into the joy of your lord."

The parable of the Talents is one of my favorites.  I think it really encapsulates a lot of what Scripture teaches in regard to serving God.  I think it is about way more than money.  And don't you just love the refrain?  "Enter into the joy of you lord."!

Matthew 25:21-30(NKJV)

His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 

He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 

His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 

And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 

So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 

So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 

And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

We serve God by using the skills that He gave us for His glory.  The more we do that the more we will be rewarded; here on earth as well as in Heaven.  Now what is that reward?  It is increased responsibility in executing God's plan. 

But what does "enter into the joy of your lord" mean?  To me it means experiencing the feeling of closeness with God that we get when we focus on Him.  It means experience the feeling of knowing that God is proud of us like any father is proud of his kids when they do well.

But let's examine the third person in the parable.  Doesn't the punishment in this case seem harsh?

" For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 

And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. "

Take all his stuff away and cast him out?  Wow! 

But let's analyze this a bit.  The guy played it safe correct?  He says so in his explanation.  How could God get mad at someone for playing it safe?  Let's examine that question.

Why did he play it safe?  That is the key here.  He played it safe out of fear.  What does the Bible say about fear?  That we shouldn't do it.  As I have said before fear is simply a physical manifestation of lack of faith.

So here is what I get out of the whole thing.  The guy is punished so severely because he wasted the skills and abilities that God gave him.  He acted on fear instead of acting on faith.  God didn't put us here to play it safe.  God put us here to make an impact for His Kingdom!!!   Make sense?