The three parables explored in this book teach us the proper perspectives regarding the three things on Earth that are given to us by God: our time (Luke 19), talents (Matthew 25), and treasures (Luke 16).

Luke 19 — Our time is limited and once it is used, it is gone.  We can choose to use it for our own temporary enjoyment or for God’s purposes.  How we choose to use our lives on Earth determines our positions in the afterlife.  Our earthly lives are a test, and it is mostly a test of our hearts and intentions.  In God’s eyes, our hearts and intentions are far more important than our abilities and achievements.

Matthew 25 — Our talents are given by God, and each person is given different talents and opportunities to learn.  While on Earth, we use our talents and we can learn more through our life’s experiences.  Our lives on Earth are both a test and a time of training.  Those who were given more are expected to do more and will be evaluated accordingly.

Luke 16 — Our treasures on Earth are also given by God, and they are given for us to invest in the eternity.  It is, therefore, mostly a test of our faithfulness.  Yet it could also be used to achieve tangible and everlasting impacts while we are on Earth, such as leading people to Christ so their sins are forgiven and their relationships with their Creator are restored, or making the world a better place through loving and caring for others, promoting justice, defending the weak, contributing to the advancement of knowledge, etc.  God gives us a chance to make intertemporal investments with His wealth, but sadly, many Christians choose to spend the temporal wealth on themselves instead of investing in the eternity.

Imagine a world where Christians all spend a portion of their time, talents, and treasures for God’s purposes and the betterment of society.  There are no problems in the world that we cannot solve!  Non-believers will be drawn to Christ because they can see the light and life of Jesus in us.  We will be preaching the gospel with our deeds instead of just words.

On the other hand, there are Christians who are overly focused on the “Lord” aspect of our relationship with God that they feel like unappreciated slaves to God.  They are like the elder brother in the Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) who resented his father because he did not understand his father at all.  That is not what God intends for us either.  Our Christian living will be most satisfying if we understand the interrelationship and the proper balance between the titles we attribute to God – our “Heavenly Father, Lord, and Savior”.