I was scrolling through Twitter the other day when I came across a tweet that stopped me in my tracks: It said, "All of you are applying for grants but some people just do dinners and the organizations beg them to help."

Someone had quoted it with an image explaining something called the Matthew Effect. The description was brief, but it caught my attention enough that I decided to dig deeper.

What Is the Matthew Effect?

The Matthew Effect essentially describes how "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer". Opportunities keep flowing to those who already have them. It’s a pattern where advantages compound over time: successful researchers get more funding and recognition, wealthy individuals gain access to better investment opportunities, well-connected people receive even more introductions.

The term comes from Matthew 25:29: "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."

But here's what's fascinating: in the actual biblical parable, Jesus wasn't talking about social inequality at all. He was teaching about stewardship—about using your gifts and opportunities rather than burying them out of fear. Those who faithfully develop what they're given receive more responsibility, while those who hide their talents lose even what little they had.

We’re Not Bound by This.

We’re not prisoners of what the world calls the Matthew Effect. Yes, systemic patterns exist. Yes, some people start with advantages. But cycles can be broken. Stories can be rewritten.

The same principle that creates cumulative disadvantage can work in reverse. Every skill you develop makes the next one easier to learn. Every meaningful connection opens doors to new opportunities. Every small win builds momentum for bigger challenges.

The Matthew Effect works both ways—once you start building positive momentum, those advantages begin to compound too.

The Real Message.

Maybe the original parable had it right all along. It's not about the unfairness of who starts with more. It's about what you do with whatever you have, however small it might seem.

Don't bury your talents out of fear that they're not enough. Don't let the weight of systemic patterns convince you that change is impossible. Start where you are, with what you have.

Your breakthrough might be one conversation, one skill, one bold decision away from changing everything.

The world isn't ready for what you're building. But that just means you have time to perfect it.