Worship - 15 November 2026

Summary Of This Week's Theme (Safeguarding Sunday)

Last week, the Hindu festival of Diwali was celebrated. It honours Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. But wealth, in this tradition, means much more than material prosperity. Lakshmi represents eight dimensions of wealth, including spiritual riches, nourishment, courage, resilience, learning, education and empowerment. The underlying belief is that each of us possesses some form of wealth, even if we are not always aware of it.

Looking at other faith traditions can sometimes illuminate our own. And Lakshmi’s representation of wealth offers an interesting perspective on Jesus’ parable of the talents.

We tend to interpret this parable through the values of our own culture: investment, growth and a healthy return.  But perhaps that means we are thinking more like bankers than like Jesus.  Remember his words: ‘Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.’

The word ‘talent’ in the parable actually refers to a very large sum of money, not an individual skill.  But perhaps the real question is what we understand by treasure.  If we see it simply in material terms, we risk accepting a world in which those who have much acquire even more, while others struggle.  Some biblical scholars suggest that Jesus is contrasting the values of the kingdom of God, founded on justice and the common good, with the self-centred pursuit of individual prosperity.

The servant who refuses to participate in the prevailing system is condemned.  But before we dismiss him, perhaps we should remember another man who refused to compromise his values, even at the cost of his life.  His name was Jesus.

Perhaps, then, the parable challenges us to examine our understanding of God and of what really matters.  The kingdom Jesus introduces is already among us, inviting us into a different set of values.

Metallica’s song Nothing Else Matters includes the words: ‘Trust I seek and I find in you / Every day for us something new / Open mind for a different view.’

That openness to a different view brings us to safeguarding.

If one of the treasures entrusted to us is the community around us, then we have a responsibility to nurture and protect it.  That is community in the inclusive sense of Jesus: not simply people like us, but all who come to share our worship, ministry and mission.

Churches must be safe places in which people can flourish.  Safeguarding policies and procedures may sometimes seem cumbersome, but they are the best means we have of protecting those who are vulnerable.  Anxiety and fear stifle growth; care, attentiveness and a willingness to make sacrifices help it flourish.

The gospel's emphasis on the common good also challenges the individualism of our culture: the assumption that we can behave as we please regardless of the consequences for others.

Loving God and loving our neighbours requires humility, respect for the worth of everyone, and a willingness to let go of prejudices, resentments and grudges that prevent growth.

Perhaps that is another way of understanding the treasure entrusted to us: the people around us, and the relationships we build with them.

An open mind for a different view. And nothing else matters.