<p>2:4 <em>But even as we have been approved of God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak- </em>We were &quot;put in trust with the Gospel&quot;, literally 'en-faithed' with it, God gave it to us in faith that we would preach it (1 Thess. 2:4). The parable of the talents has an element of unreality to it, in that the rich owner gives all his wealth to his slaves and then goes away, leaving them to trade with it and increase his overall wealth. The storyline demands that we see him as having taken a big leap of faith in men and women who were not at all used to operating on their own initiative.</p><p><em>Not as pleasing men but God, who tests our hearts</em>- If we know God's judgments- and this is an ongoing process- then our self-examination will become closer and closer to the real picture of us which God has. It is apparent that God <em>now </em>tries our hearts (Job 7:18; Ps. 11:4; 17:3; 26:2; 139:23), e.g. weighing up our motives in preaching (1 Thess. 2:4).</p>