The gain in talents:
In the parable of the ten talents, the rich man leaves and distributes his goods to his servants for them to make gains. To one, he gives five talents, and he goes and gains five more. To another, two talents, and he too goes and gains two more talents. And, to one he gives one, but he goes and hides it by burying it underground in a handkerchief. The Bible tells us that to each one he gave according to their several abilities (Mt 25:14-15). We are a multi-ability people. Some factors limit our ability to produce in abundance, therefore limiting the number of tasks we can take on. Factors such as cognitive, social, and self-imposed limits the things we can do with the talents we have been given. The problem is that if we do not push ourselves to overcome those limitations, we can reach a state of loss. God desires that in everything we prosper in whatever we do (3 John 1:2). He will make sure that in everything we do, we prosper (Deut 30:9). Our part to prosper deals with doing what God asks of us (Deut 29:9).
Matthew 25:28-30
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The penalty for the unprofitable servant was for him to lose everything he had, including those things that he did not have. The price the servant paid for his losses came from a self-imposed factor. He allowed evil thoughts about God to cloud his judgment and cause fear to make him err (Mt 25:24-25). The scriptures teach us that we should not allow thoughts to cloud our judgment, but to take them captive and submit them to Christ (2 Cor 10:5). Now, the talent that the unfaithful servant lost was not given to the one who earned two more, but to the one with ten. So, the question is, why to the one who had ten? The number 10 represents one of testimony, law, responsibility, and the completeness of order. In the Bible, the number 10 is used 242 times. It is a complete and perfect numeral. The servant who had 10 talents is without limitation, and he is whole. The unprofitable servant could have avoided his punishment by simply doing something with his talent; anything.
David found himself in a situation similar to that of the unprofitable servant who was at risk of being cast away into outer darkness. David had stopped being faithful to God in the things that he assigned him to do. He had backslidden. Luckily for him, after God humbled him, he got back on track and worked with his talents (Ps 119:67). God did not stop working with David even after he left him; He fashioned him and dealt with him (Ps 119:73).
1 John 1:2
2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
Deuteronomy 30:9
9 And the Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:
Deuteronomy 29:9
9 Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.
Matthew 25:24-25
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
2 Corinthians 10:5
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
Psalms 119:67
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.
Psalms 119:73
73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.