In the Parable of the Three Servants, the response of the third servant demonstrates his fear versus faith. It appears that the Master gave each servant an amount of money that corresponded to their ability to steward it. The third servant received the least amount because the Master knew his ability to care for it was not as great as the other two.
Matthew 25: 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. [1] At the time, burial was a common practice for protecting valuables. This method would not increase the amount, but it would not lose anything either.
Fear Leads to Inaction
Fear will move us toward self-preservation rather than toward trusting God. It appears that the third servant was afraid he might fail when he invested the money, so he never tried. Fear of failure or judgment can immobilize us, which is contrary to the call of faithfulness. The servant knew the Master would return someday, but he didn’t bother to use the time of waiting well.
This parable is an analogy of how God gives us gifts and expects us to use them. We will eventually meet Jesus either at the end of the Age or at the end of our earthly life. How will we use the gifts God has given us? Inaction, driven by fear, contradicts our calling to witness and engage with the world through God’s gifts. Fear of failure often hinders progress in our spiritual journey, just as it did with the third servant.
Faith Leads to Action
We must be ready to confront our fears and move beyond them. This requires us to understand that hiding or burying our God-given gifts is wasteful. God gives us our time, talents, and money to use to build His Kingdom. When our fear stops this, it reflects a misunderstanding of God’s grace and expectations. We don’t want to miss the opportunities God gives us to use our gifts for Him because we won’t get those chances back.
Worry about what might be often causes our fear. This leads us to ask, “What if?” On the other hand, faith says, “Even if.” Psalm 23: 4 Even if I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. [2] When we realize that God is always with us, we can move forward in faith. Our faith replaces fear and leads to action. William Carey said: “Attempt great things for God, expect great things from God.”[3]
Scripture gives us faith-building promises: Hebrews 13: 6 So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” [4] Prayer can help us move from fear to faith. Psalm 34: 4 I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. [5]
To learn more about fear versus faith, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/faithfulness-with-what-is-entrusted
[1,2,4,5] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.
[3] Turner, D., & Bock, D. L. (2005). Cornerstone biblical commentary, Vol 11: Matthew and Mark (p. 327). Tyndale House Publishers.