A talented poem? You choose!

It was our staff retreat last weekend. It was a really great time, in an unexpectedly nice venue, that was really of hotel standard. Everyone had a really great time there.

On the Saturday night we had a talent show. I decided to write a poem. God spoke to me through the passage in Matthew's gospel chapter 25 about a year ago. The passage is commonly referred to as the parable of the 'talents'. I thought it was a fitting passage to write a poem based on for a 'talent' show!

The passage in Matthew reads as follows;
Matthew 25:14-28 It will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15 To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17 So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But 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. 20 The 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. 25 So 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? 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 "'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.

My poem follows;

So many paths,
Such worn shoes.
We determine our future,
By the paths that we choose

A man of worth,
Came, stayed, went,
To each of three servants,
Some money he lent.

Such trust an honour,
Consider it privilege,
To waste it a shame,
Or perhaps sacrilege

How much do you have?
How much has been given?
But greater than this,
Does your path lead to heaven?

To some is given much,
To some less, to some little,
But its how we proceed,
That tests our mettle.

From the man who has much,
Much more should be made,
But not to be kept,
To the master repaid!

For the man who had less,
When brought to account,
Through hard work the test,
Doubled his amount

But the man who had least,
What worthless dalliance
He hid what he had,
And returned just the balance.

See its not what we have
That counts in the end,
But it's what we accomplish
With what we've been lent.

No matter how "much",
"Less" or "little" you feel,
Lift the edge of your bushel,
And let it reveal

A treasure, a jewel,
That shines from within,
Then the true path to heaven,
Our worn shoes will win.

What do you think? A bit twee?