Talents...How do I use them?

I heard this parable mentioned this weekend. Thought I'd share a few thoughts... 

Matthew 25:14-30 (New International Version)  From Bible Gateway

The Parable of the Talents

 ¹⁴"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. ¹⁵To one he gave five talents^[a] of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. ¹⁷So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. ¹⁸But the man who had received the one talent 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. ²⁰The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. 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 the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; 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 the one talent 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. ²⁵So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent 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? ²⁷Well 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" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. ²⁹For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. ³⁰And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

1. Matthew 25:15 A talent was worth more than a thousand dollars.

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How am I using my time? I like to be busy, I like to be doing things.  I think that I got that from my parents who got it from their parents. If I'm not doing something productive, I feel like I am wasting my time.  However, I have come to realize that my measure of productivity is not always the same as that of Christ. 
A few summers back I worked 60 hours a week, it was crazy.  It wasn't because I had to, or I wanted to, I just did.  Some would say that I was being a productive member of society.  But it was too much, my relationships suffered, I suffered.  
What does Christ want me to focus on?  What do I want to focus on?  Do they line up?  Often times that means doing something I don't want to do, or giving up something I want, so that I can do what I know I should. It means looking at stocks less, so I can enjoy time with my wife. It means finding ways to help build Jacob's Well, instead of looking for new camera gear (For the 10th time today, nothing new is out since last time).  

Anyone else find it odd that the word used for money translated as "talents?".  It's not just about my money, its about my whole life.  It's kind of our eternal (Life on earth anyway) human struggle.  What I want to do vs. what I know I should do.

I think it is a good reminder to me to evaluate how I am spending my time and my resources.  Do they match up with the life Christ has called me to? 

Ending with a CS Lewis Quote:
"This year, or this month, or, more likely, this very day, we have failed to practise ourselves the kind of behaviour we expect from other people."
--The Case for Christianity