Read this analysis on how we can be profitable to God through a life of service and dedication. I had a ton of fun writing it, and I think you'll like reading it.
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Profitability and Our Godly Potential
—Seen Through the Parable of the Unprofitable Servant
Benjamin Tyler Griffin
April 16, 2022
Matthew 25:29-30 (KJV): “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.”
Profitability
What is our purpose in life?
At our core, we all long to be seen and loved. This is manifest in almost everything we do. In this life of infinite ups and downs we strive to make our mark on the world and be noticed on the greater stage of actors in the great play of humanity. As a result of this innate desire, it is my belief that most people wish to give value to those around them.
People want to contribute and offer value to others!
But, there are two forces tugging at each of us; the desire to take more than we give, versus the desire to give more than we take. Especially in a business world of dog eat dog and climbing the corporate ladder, we must remember these two forces and decide what we want to choose. We cannot remain stagnant.
Oftentimes, as imperfect managers, leaders, examples, friends, parents, students, mentors, etc, we overlook the untapped potential in those around us and we take more than we give. This isn’t inherently evil, after all, we naturally care for our own survival first and foremost.
The real tragedy lies in the instances where we don’t worry about our physical survival, and yet we play games with our fellow men and women which leave all parties worse off than before. We have all experienced bosses who micromanage too much. Or managers who see their subordinates as threats and subsequently treat them like trash. Or perhaps you have worked with a leader who calls you into their office only to mercilessly berate and shame you for an honest mistake.
This is the imperfect world we live in but as we are all gods in embryo, we must learn how to replicate our Father in Heaven’s example in the way He manages us (His children) on a celestial level.
God’s Infinite Love
It is my belief that God is the perfect parent along with our Heavenly Mother. When I refer to God throughout the rest of this analysis, I am referring to the combined parental unit of Heavenly Father and Mother. Together, our Heavenly Parents are actively involved in our lives and I believe that they genuinely want what is best for us. Sometimes what is really best for us and what we think is best can be at odds.
While our core desires and end motives are pure, the reality of life is a lot harsher and many other factors play into how we interact with others.
God’s Infinite Love Seen Through a Sequential Game
We are the literal offspring of Heavenly Parents and because of that fact we are infinitely loved. It is, however, possible for God to make the heart wrenching decision to deny us access to heaven due to our unwillingness to be obedient to Him. Heaven is open to all who choose to go there. If we don’t end up in the Celestial Kingdom, it will be because we chose it.
This ties into the principles found in game theory. I know life cannot be relegated to a simple and subjective game matrix, but the logical flow and simplicity of game theory can help offer clarity to these ultimate decisions.
Imagine we are at a crossroads where we are in a position to choose whether or not we will commit to living a life of honesty and truth or a life of cutting corners and lies. We cannot choose the consequences, but we can choose how we react to them. Look at the figure below to visualize this concept in the form of a sequential game.
The way the payoffs are calculated is thorough weighing the consequences relative to the previous decisions. If you follow each individual path, the numbers are there to reflect the payoffs according to God and myself. Anything that is positive (for God) means happiness and salvation. Cursing doesn’t mean permanent punishment. It is a temporary consequence for actions, so it isn’t always negative. For example, if we follow the path of choosing to cut corners, it makes strategic sense for God to curse and humble us (see the solution below) and if we repent and get back on track, He would want to prosper us thus resulting in a positive end for God (although not the most positive gain we could have had) and a good ending for us too. Although this model is probably grossly inaccurate, to me, it reflects the most strategic moves that both myself and God should take.
Defining Profitability (What does it mean to be an unprofitable servant?)
This leads us to the question of defining profitability. Are we profitable if we simply make it over the finish line, or is profitability more related to having a higher “point count” with God? I need to be careful to not equate profitability with God’s love. Because it isn’t the same thing. God loves us regardless, but our profitability is very dependent on our conscious actions and what we choose to do with our lives.
Profitability in the Merriam Webster dictionary is described as, “yielding advantageous returns or results.” In terms of business and economics, profitability is what ultimately determines the success of the company or economy. Profitability is the determining factor in what a leader uses in making decisions as to whether or not they will scrap a product, or continue pouring costs into it. In this secular context, if something becomes unprofitable, then it should be thrown away. After all, who would knowingly pump money and resources into a cause that they know with certainty will ultimately fail? Not many!
I do not believe God views us in this way. We are not bad products waiting to be thrown out. The best way to understand God’s view on profitability is perhaps viewed through the lens of parenthood. Good parents have unending patience with their kids and even though the children might do things the parents don’t approve of, they still wish them the best and even lend support when appropriate. If all goes well, then the child can find success in their lives and hopefully give back to their parents in intangible ways, such as being a good citizen and raising a strong family.
Jesus Christ, the Perfect Example
Perhaps, describing the attributes of an unprofitable servant requires a thorough exploration into what it means to be a profitable servant and the greatest example of this is manifest through Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the only one to have ever lived a complete or perfect life. He satisfied the demands of mercy and justice and fulfilled all of the works of His father. This is what allowed Him to complete the infinite Atonement. In all senses of the word, Jesus is the only one to be a truly “profitable servant.” The rest of us are unquestionably in the red.
A Talk with God in the Final Judgment
Throwing away an unprofitable idea or business is one thing, but even in a secular context, firing someone has much farther reaching consequences. It at least requires some serious thought beforehand. I do agree that there comes a certain point where an individual working at an organization can hit a wall where they are not able to offer the company any more value. I also believe that in these cases, the company has ceased to create value for them. In the case of someone being laid off due to inability to contribute, it makes sense that the individual would recognize their lack of contribution to the company. We all know when we have done a good day's work or not.
I cannot see God pulling out a clipboard at the great judgment and saying:
“Well it looks like you did 20 things of note during your life. You accomplished X, Y, and Z. Congratulations. But… let’s see here... It looks like you also did some stuff that cancels out all the good you did… Oh, wow… yeah, you are really in the red here… Not looking good. Hmm… unfortunately I am going to have to offload you to hell and let them deal with you there. I’m sorry, you were just a little too unprofitable.”
What I can see transpiring is something more like the following (obviously on a more celestial level):
“Welcome home! I know you have been through a lot. You have also learned many important things. You made some mistakes along the way, but you also had some successes. You turned away from me at some points in your life. But, even through those challenges and setbacks, you kept coming back to me.”
“Sometimes it took you longer than others, but you consistently kept putting your trust in me, and as a result I was able to bless you. You were able to have success on many different levels and you did SO much good in the world. You were an extension of my hands. I have invested a lot into your development, and you have done a wonderful job. I know you weren’t perfect, but you have now learned what it is like to develop godly characteristics. I want to offer you the ability to become a creator of worlds without numbers and inherit all the glory I can offer you.”
After this I imagine loving Heavenly Parents welcoming us into their embrace and asking us if we wanted to accept this inheritance, to which I hope we would all emphatically accept. We would be welcomed as the good and faithful servants into the house of God.
Why does He Persist?
So, now we’ve established the fact that none of us can ever be “profitable” in the context of a secular dictionary definition, let's look at how we can, despite our imperfections, be profitable to our Heavenly Father.
Yes, we are unprofitable by worldly standards, but God doesn’t play by worldly games. He is part of a larger Celestial ecosystem that deals with much larger and important matters than human constructs. He ultimately looks at our games and changes the rules to allow the option and opportunity for all of us to be able to return to Him.
Exploring the Parable
In the parable of the Talents where we are introduced to the unprofitable servant, and the two other servants. There are a few fundamental differences between the first two and the unprofitable servant. The profitable servants, although receiving different amounts of money, both trusted their master and were able to multiply their respective sums.
The unprofitable servant on the other hand did not trust his master, calling him a “hard man,” and buried his master’s treasure. What good was it doing for him there? Nothing at all! Because of his self imposed fear, he turned away from his master and brooded in self centered thoughts of hatred. When the day of reckoning came, he was not ready to see the Lord because he had hated and feared Him from day one.
The other two, on the other hand, had been actively preparing for the return of the master and had wonderful things to show for it. They had doubled his fortune! Imagine their surprise when the Lord tells them that they can keep all that they had produced (with His money)! These two recognized that the Lord was the only reason they had achieved any success in the first place and as a result sought to give back to Him with His money.
The unprofitable servant sought to keep the money for himself. Because he hated his master, he felt entitled to it and justified why he should keep it. This depraved, selfish attitude led him to ultimate ruin. He already hates the lord and can’t wait to get away from His presence. He wants nothing more than to be as far away from his master as possible.
In my analysis, the difference between the unprofitable servant and the two faithful servants is a matter of orientation. The unprofitable servant had his back turned to his master and his thoughts were turned inward. The profitable servants were turned towards the Lord and their thoughts were turned to others. Ironically, the one who clenched his hands around his fortune was the first and only one to lose it, while those that took God’s gifts and multiplied them received a double potion. Keep in mind that the “success” of the two profitable servants wasn’t important. They were both treated equally for their loyalty.
Learning to Give More than We Take
Returning to the concept of giving more than you take, if you look at this graph, you can recognize that it profits both God and ourselves if we both give more than we take. If we both take more than we give, it is a failed game. God benefits from giving and doesn’t benefit from taking. He is a God of generosity and abundance. If we will be His hands and give to our fellow brothers and sisters, giving more than taking, He will ultimately give us all He has. While we may benefit in the short term from taking more than giving, we run the risk of having our final portion taken away at the judgment.
I am reminded of another parable about a servant who demonstrates this exact principle. He had an insurmountable debt to the king and had no way out. When he received complete forgiveness for his unforgivable debt, he promptly left the king's presence and found someone who owed him a marginal amount of money; demanding that he pay up or else. The same fate falls upon this poor servant. He is cast out and the unforgivable debt is reinstated.
How sad it is to review these two servants who are so self focused that they cannot see beyond their own selfish desires. It is imperative that we recognize that God was and is willing to forgive us our debts and wrongdoings, but there comes a day of reckoning when it is too late to simply say, “I’m sorry.”
King Benjamin’s Words
This is why it is so important that we orient ourselves towards God and seek to serve Him all the days of our lives. There is a crucial passage to study in Mosiah 2:
21 I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.
22 And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; [...] and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.
23 And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.
24 And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?
As King Benjamin stated, we are completely indebted to God. This relates back to what we were talking about regarding our level of profitability. Like the two servants who doubled their portion, there is no success we can have that was not provided for by a loving God.
Without God, we are unprofitable servants, but as with everything else he touches, with God, we have the potential to be not only profitable servants, but inheritors of His kingdom. This concept is worth repeating:
Without God we are unprofitable, with Him, we are. It’s that simple.
Plans of Action
What do we do about it? What might we do to increase profit?
Increasing our personal levels of profitability to God is simple in theory, but it requires a lifetime of dedication and commitment to God. As both the Bible and the Book of Mormon teach, you can know them by their fruits. If I am consistently pointed towards God throughout my life, seeking to do good in the world by helping the downtrodden, giving to the poor, blessing those around me, and seeking to spread God’s light to all areas where I have influence, then my fruits will be good.
We can increase my ability to be a profitable servant by maintaining a laser focus on God and doing His will throughout our lives. If you recall this graph, my level of profitability increases, the more outward oriented I am as well as the more I am inclined to give rather than take. These actions and mindsets have a direct influence on my ability to be more profitable to God.
While He most likely won’t show favoritism to anyone, the internal payout will be different for each individual.
What can we do to increase the final payout?
The final payout is not the focal point of the final judgment. It is important, however, that we do as much good with what we are given as we possibly can. I don’t want to leave any work or opportunities undone. By maintaining a true commitment to God and seeking His guidance in personal, familial, and work matters, I trust that He will guide me in exploring all the avenues of “talents” He wants me to develop in this life.
Increasing the final payout is a matter of determining the course you want to chart in life and pursuing it with a firm commitment to keep all of your covenants with God. Viewing this life as a long journey helps to put this idea into perspective. We are all journeyers on the path and we grow our profitability through helping others. God uses us to do His work, so even though He is investing more into us than we will ever be able to repay, we are doing His work by helping His children along the way.
Each kind word to someone, every smile, every act of love or service, every sacrifice of time, etc, will ultimately make us trusted and profitable servants to God. I hope that it is our desire to be His hands to those around us.
How do we believe, hope, trust, have faith, and charity?
The Savior, Jesus Christ, is an incredible example of someone who is worth following. As mentioned before, He is the only one who has led a profitable life by both God’s terms as well as the secular definition. Placing trust and commitment to Him is essential to developing faith, hope, and trust. Through developing these Christlike attributes, we can develop true charity for all of the people we deal with in life.
Putting these attributes forward as an ideal sounds good, but it is a lot more complex than that. There are specific actions that can be taken in order to develop greater faith, hope, trust, and charity. These attributes help us develop empathy to help us lift others on this journey of life. The following is a non comprehensive list that can help spur greater introspection into more specific areas of application:
Developing high emotional intelligence by learning how to treat God’s children in the way He sees them.
Praying and taking time to be still and hear what God is waying to you.
Studying the scriptures and learning firsthand, what God desires for you.
Becoming self aware and seeking to be always learning and growing in knowledge and Godly characteristics.
Developing an attitude of perpetual service. Always be looking for someone to serve.
etc.
What can we do to credibly commit to our intentions?
We should all hope to be profitable servants to God. As Cortez burned the ships when he came to the new world to show his strategic commitment to both himself and his crew, I will explain what strategic commitment means in relation to living a life worthy of becoming that top level profitable servant. Strategic commitment is an irreversible action that we take to prove our intentions. I want to get to the next life and hear Him say, “well done thou good and faithful servant.” Setting forth the ideal is easy. Committing to follow through is a much more difficult challenge. That being said, with what hangs in the balance, I’d say it’s rather important that we take our personal and spiritual development very seriously.
Personal Commitment
Take a moment to think about your life and think about what you can do to personally commit to the Lord. Then think about how you can show strategic commitment in this decision.
How credible is your commitment?
Referring back to the sequential game between me and God, based on my logical payoffs on the end game situations, I can say with a high level of confidence that through choosing to live a life of truth and service; giving more than I take, then I will achieve the highest level of profitability. God will also have the highest level of profitability. It is in both of our best interests to do good and prosper. If I choose any other path, it is always possible to attain eternal happiness, but the best case scenario is for me to choose God, and for Him to bless me, and then repeating over and over until death. This is the strategically correct thing to do. If you notice, our dominant strategy is to give back and serve. Every time! A dominant strategy denotes a strategy that is a no-brainer. It is in our best interests to go with the dominant strategy every time. God wants to bless and prosper as much as possible, but as a just God, He cannot award wickedness and it grieves Him when He has to punish us.
It’s a no brainer. Choose God. Then give more than I take. This is where true happiness is found.
As we commit to the Lord, along with whatever else God calls us to do, our commitment to Him will grow, as will His commitment to us. We can then seek the best possible outcome and find celestial equilibrium. Then, it’s my hope if we do what is right, that we will be welcomed into God’s kingdom as “profitable servants.”
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