I will make thee ruler over many things

In New Testament class this week we studied Matthew 25 which contains some parables taught by Christ in answer to the question: what is a faithful and wise servant? One that stood out to me, even though I've heard it plenty of times is the parable of the talents. Often we think of this parable as just applying to talents, as in skills and abilities, but Brother Griffin suggested that the talents symbolize everything God has given us. All of us have different strengths, situations, and opportunities and those allow us to serve and grow here on Earth. Comparing ourselves to others, feeling down that we aren't as capable as people around us doesn't do any good because as this parable shows, our Heavenly Father intended for us to be different and he doesn't expect us all to produce the same things. He just wants us to do the best we can. The only thing that really matters is the level of our faith. When we have faith we are able to multiply His gifts and use them to bless others and increase our conversion. That is the only difference between the servant with the 10 talents and the 1 talent. One of them had faith and one had fear. 

Another notable thing is that the servants that had 10 and 5 talents given to them both had faith and were able to accomplish what their master wanted them to. He says to both of them the exact same thing: "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord". That is what we can look forward to. If we do our part and rely on Christ's grace and mercy, we will be rewarded and have joy knowing we did what we could. This reminds me of a poem by Meade MacGuire that President Monson once quoted. It goes: 
“Father, where shall I work today?”

And my love flowed warm and free.
Then he pointed out a tiny spot
And said, “Tend that for me.”
I answered quickly, “Oh no, not that!
Why, no one would ever see,
No matter how well my work was done.
Not that little place for me.”
And the word he spoke, it was not stern; …
“Art thou working for them or for me?
Nazareth was a little place,
And so was Galilee.”

Even if we feel like we don't have many gifts or we aren't good enough, this shows that we can become much more than we think we can. That is the example and gift Christ gave to us.