Our time on earth is finite. Since the beginning, people have come and gone. And for each person, there would be judgment based on the extent to which he or she lived in alignment with God's expectations.

The expectations are both in terms of how obedient we are to His will, how aligned we are to His purpose, and how prudently we use the resources He gave us. God never deposits grace into a life without expecting growth, increase, and visible impact. Divine gifts are not ornaments; they are investments. Talents are not trophies; they are tools. And every believer will one day give an account of what they did with what God gave them.

This is the central message of Jesus' Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30, a passage that serves as both comfort and warning. It affirms that God equips each of us for destiny -- but it also confronts our excuses, procrastination, and fear.

I want to walk you through this scripture, connect it with other biblical truths, and show why heaven expects productivity, competence, and excellence from God's people. This message is for individuals, families, workplaces, ministries -- and indeed, for nations.

Let's begin with the foundation, which is that God gives talents according to capacity, not preference.

Grace Distributed by Capacity, Not Favouritism

When the master in Jesus' parable was about to travel, he called his servants and entrusted his estate to them. Scripture says:

"To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one -- each according to his ability." (Matthew 25:15)

Some believers think God is partial, giving "more" to others while ignoring them. That is not true. In the Kingdom, distribution is not based on affection but on capacity. The master did not give five talents because he loved the first servant more, nor did he give one talent because he despised the last servant.

Paul supports this in 1 Corinthians 12:11 -- "The Spirit gives to each one individually as He wills." Romans 12:6 adds, "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us."

Your talent level is not a measure of God's preference; it is a measure of your current capacity. And here lies the challenge: capacity can grow.

This is why the Holy Spirit is insisting on this generation: You need to polish your talent. Take away the dross from the silver. We need to become competent professionals in our fields, not like Ephraim, an unturned cake. Ephraim (Hosea 7:8) was half-baked -- neither hot nor cold, neither here nor there -- a symbol of wasted potential. Many today operate like that: gifted but unrefined, called but untrained, talented but inconsistent. But the Kingdom of God demands more.

Grace Must Be Developed, Not Buried

The servants who had five and two talents immediately went to work. They traded, invested, engaged, and multiplied. When the master returned, they were able to say:

"Master, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more."

"Master, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more."

These are results, not intentions. Fruits, not dreams. Evidence, not excuses.

But the servant with one talent buried his gift. He justified his laziness with a theological argument: "I knew you were a hard man." Many believers today do the same: hiding their gifts behind excuses, fears, and religious language. To such people, the master declared judgment: "You wicked and lazy servant."

It is striking that heaven equates unproductivity with wickedness. Why? Because wasted gifts impoverish the world. Unused talents slow down divine agendas. A buried calling deprives nations of deliverance.

God will ask us what we did with every talent we have. Some of us will weep when you see what you could have accomplished or what we could have become, but failed to because of laziness and procrastination. This is not a condemnation but an awakening.

Excellence Is a Kingdom Requirement

Scripture commands diligence, competence, and mastery: "Do you see a man diligent in his work? He will stand before kings." (Proverbs 22:29). "Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might." (Ecclesiastes 9:10). "Fan into flame the gift of God." (2 Timothy 1:6)

Jesus never applauded mediocrity. Instead, He praised faithful stewards and rebuked lazy ones.

This is why the Holy Spirit is highlighting these words for you today:

Whenever you fail to hone your skills, you are considered lazy and unskilled. There is no competition in the Body of Christ. We all have the space to shine by using the unique talents God has given us.

You are not in a race against another person. Your destiny is not measured by someone else's timeline or achievements. The only question heaven will ask is: Did you become the best version of what God designed you to be?

Don't Underestimate Your Talent

The tragedy of the one-talent servant was not the size of his gift but his estimation of it. He thought it was too small to matter. Yet even one talent was the equivalent of several years of wages -- a massive opportunity.

Many believers make the same mistake today. We look at others, compare capacities, and conclude that what we have is insignificant. But in the Kingdom, a staff in Moses' hand parted the Red Sea; a sling in David's hand brought down Goliath; a jar of oil in the widow's house ended her debt, and five loaves and two fish fed a multitude. Nothing is too small in God's hands, and anything from God is not too small.

God often hides greatness in small seeds. So, don't underestimate what you have. Polish what you have and shine before your world. You have the talents, grace, charisma, and character. Don't let anyone look down on you.

God's Global Expectation: Nations Are in Your Assignment

The parable of the talents was not merely about personal development. It was about the master's estate -- his kingdom -- growing and expanding through the labour of his servants.

Likewise, your talent is not just for your prosperity; it is for God's agenda. There are destinies tied to your competence. There are nations tied to your faithfulness. There are communities tied to your diligence.

This is why I must declare this unequivocally: God has expectations that He will reap Africa or Nigeria because of you. When you develop your gift, you create value. When you create value, you influence people. When you influence people, you shape cultures and build systems. When you build systems, God gains territories. Thus, the fruit of your talent is not just personal breakthrough -- it is national and global transformation.

The Final Audit: What Will You Present Before the Master?

One day, you will stand before Christ to be evaluated for stewardship.

Second Corinthians 5:10 says, "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ." Romans 14:12 adds, "Each of us will give an account of himself to God." On that day, the questions will be:

* What did you do with the grace I gave you?

* What did you build with the talents I entrusted to you?

* Whom did you help with the resources I gave?

* What impact did you make with your opportunities?

Some will hear the eternal commendation: "Well done, good and faithful servant." Others will face the regret of wasted potential.

It's Time to Multiply Your Talents

Whether you carry five talents or one, heaven demands productivity. Potential must become competence. Grace must become impact. Seeds must become fruit. Dreams must become results.

So, let this be your awakening call today: Polish your talent. Multiply your gift. Rise above fear. Break free from procrastination. Step boldly into your assignment. The world is waiting. Heaven is watching. Destiny is calling. And the Master will return. May you be found faithful.

Reverend Austin Ukporhe is the Lead Pastor at Remnant Christian Network, Lagos. Raised in Sokoto, northern Nigeria, he was trained in peculiar firebrand evangelism and was ordained as a pastor in 2001. He has experienced countless and diverse workings of the faithfulness of God over two decades and has developed a passion to see God's will for Nigeria become a reality. He can be reached at +2348060255604.