How He must long to have us all we should be!
Do not let us be like the cracked and useless cup! But let us go to the great Healer and Mender and Cleanser of our poor characters, and ask Him to make us what He would like to see us.
The only way to get "mended" and to bear fruit instead of only leaves, is to go to Him Who died on the Cross to save us, and to find in Him forgiveness, strength, and peace.
[XXXII. The Parable of the Talents]
"What is a Talent?" perhaps some one asks.
A Talent in our Lord's time was a piece of money of great value, of about £342, and in the story which Jesus told the disciples, a Talent was described as something precious which was given to the servants of a great lord, to trade with, while he was on a long journey.
To one servant this lord gave ten Talents to trade with; to another, five; to another, two; according to their several ability; and to another, one.
And what do you think the servant who had only one did with his Talent? He went away and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money!
Then the lord of those servants took his journey.
At length the time came for his return, and he called his servants and reckoned with them.