Him That Hath

"To him that hath more shall be given, but to him that hath not, even that which he hath will be taken from him."

This phrase is one of the key recognizable pieces that people are taught from the Bible. It seems a bit cryptic; why would someone who doesn't have anything to begin with lose what little they do have? What kind of god would allow this to happen?

There is a related parable in the Bible about 3 servants who were given talents by their master and expected to increase them. The first servant received 5, the second servant 2, and the third 1. The master goes away for a period of time, and upon returning asks them what they have done with their coins. The first servant turned 5 into 10, and was praised and rewarded. The second servant did the same, turning 2 into 4, and was praised and rewarded by the master. The third servant told his master that out of fear of losing the coin and being held responsible, he had buried it in a safe place, ready to give it back to his master when called to do so. The master lost his cool, severely reprimanded the man and cast him into darkness. Why was he treated so harshly? He did, after all, return the coin to his master. Yes, but he was tasked with multiplying the resource. He was expected to use what ability he had to improve what was given to him, and he did not even make an effort to do so.

This story fits in line perfectly with our modern day. The man who has an incredible speaking voice and ability to sway crowds will lose his ability if he does not hone and build upon that foundation. The athlete who does not increase his or her strength and endurance by consistent, labored repetition will lose whatever they already have in the way of strength and endurance. The person who learns how to make a million dollars through trial and error is carving out a groove of knowledge and experience that gets deeper as they use it. This means that the second, third, fourth million that they make will come much easier and quicker than the first, assuming that these resources are used to maximum capacity.

On the opposite side, those who do not exercise self-discipline and willpower, for example, will lose what discipline and will faculties that they already have to tap into. The unwilling will become further unwilling, the lazy will be lazier still, the self-deprecating will bring to pass those situations that fuel these thoughts. Those who focus on how much they do not have will steep themselves in thoughts and behavior that increase them not having.

We are tasked by life to make good account of everything we have, or we forfeit it because we do not employ it. Every gift forfeited gets weaker, every talent employed even a little bit becomes stronger.