Parable of the Talents - Sports Edition

parable of the talents. 

If you could only drink one drink the rest of your life what would it be? 

What are you doing with what God gave you?

Let’s have a conversation about how talent defines you.

First thoughts? 

Does god give you a certain ability? 

Can you make it better? Or are you limited? 

Are you supposed to do something just because you are good at it? 

How do you know what to do with what your good at? 

How hard should you work to make your talent better? 

Do you have to? 

📖 Matthew 25:14–30 — 

The Parable of the Bags of Gold (Talents)

14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.

15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.

16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more.

17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more.

18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.

20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.

25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?

27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags.

29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.

30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

So what is a talent worth? One talent is worth about a million dollars. 6000 days wages or 20 years of pay. 

What do you think they did to double their money? What would they be able to do now with it? 

What would you do with this amount of money? first guy 5x that. second 2x that and third guy that amount. 

Long term investment 

Or 

Short term gain 

Some of you athletes have been given way more than others. God has blessed you with something he didn’t give someone else. And definately not everyone 

You are elite. 1% get to d1 and only 7% get to play sports in college. 

Some of you are working really hard and are discouraged.

Anyone here get discouraged with where you are? 

Can you explain why? 

Don’t be. God gave it to you. 

Key is to give it all you’ve got to expand on what god gave you. 

Are you truly committed to giving it all? 

God expects his servants to invest his resources into his priorities faithfully. 

Love God and Love people.

How did the master treat the one that buried his talent? 

He took it from him and gave it to the guy who did a good job. 

What would he do this? 

What would you do? 

Think about yourself? Are you truly using what God gave it to have a relationship to God and use what he gave you?

God loves you regardless. 

You can start now thinking about God in your life. Maybe this didn’t make sense to you. But God has given you what you have in terms of ability. 

Work hard every day to make it more so you can be used fully. 

If you aren’t - Start. 

If you are - Keep going! 

Pray.

saluki downtime august 18, 2025

Saluki Downtime - August 18, 2025

If you die, who do you want to raise your kids? And why? 

Are you that person? 

Say I love you and mean it. 

What does it mean to say I love you? 

Do you have to be dating or related to someone to love them? 

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 (NIV)
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Why do we need to be patient?  I mean, really? 

Love is kind? How? Why? When? To whom? 

Love your neighbor as yourself. How much do you love yourself? 

Are you kind? 

Who do you say you love? 

Who says they love you and are not kind to you? 

Is that what God wants? 

Love does not envy? What does that mean? 

If you love someone, you will not want their things. You will not want to be like them. You will not want to take their spot just because. 

We have to support people and love people for who they are. 

This goes right into the next verse. Love does not boast and is not proud. Let me say this. No one cares. I mean in a good way. Right. You have been given something that may be unique to you. Or you have worked really hard to get where you are. God has chosen you to do something special. 

You do not have to go around telling everyone about it. 

What does pride do? Does it say don't be proud of yourself or proud of someone? 

So why is pride bad? 

Healthy pride → Feeling satisfaction in doing good work or in others’ achievements (this can be good).

Sinful pride → Thinking too highly of yourself, placing yourself above others (and even above God).

Love does not dishonor other people. 

how are you living your life? 

What in your life could dishonor other people directly? 

Love is not self-seeking. 

You have to think of others first. Love does. 

This is what God does for you. 

It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Love is not easily angered.  Who has an anger issue? The bible says to be slow to become angry. 

How hard is this for you? 

Love keeps no records of wrong? Who shows this best out of everyone/?

God teaches us this. He doesn't keep our past against us. 

We must do this with our friends. Love enough to let it go.  Doesn't mean you have to be besties with them. Doesn't mean you have to keep them in your close friend group.  It means, if you choose to keep  them in your love group, love them with no condition of their past. 

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 

The truth sometimes is the hardest thing to admit to. If you don't like it change it. But let the truth be the forefront of love. 

Lying breaks trust. Trust breaks love. 

Everyone deserves a second chance but that second chance is not so easy 

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

Let's read that again. 

Love always protects. God will always protect you. 

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

Love always trusts. You can trust true love. Love is an actions verb. God loves you. You can trust God. 

Love always hopes. 

What does this mean? 

 “Love always hopes” — What It Means

Looks to the future with expectation

Love doesn’t give up believing that things can improve.

Even when situations or people are difficult, love keeps looking forward with a spirit of hope instead of despair.

Sees the best in others

Love refuses to be cynical.

It doesn’t assume the worst about people, but holds onto the possibility of growth, change, and redemption.

Rooted in God’s promises

Christian love has confidence not just in people, but in God’s power to transform hearts and situations.

It hopes in God’s faithfulness, even when circumstances are dark.

Endures with positivity

Hope fuels endurance.

Love keeps going because it trusts that the story isn’t over yet.

Love always perseveres. 

Over a long period of time, Love will win. 

You have to love each other honestly. 

God loves you. That's why we know these are possible. 

God's love is real. 

Where are you with God's love? 

Do you believe it? 

Do you trust it? 

Have you accepted it in your life? 

Accept God’s love in your life today.