Using God's Talents

 

He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. ~Matthew 25:22 KJV

A little girl loved to draw, color, and paint like other children her age, but unlike other children, she didn't outgrow her love of art. She outlined her pictures in the coloring book and carefully filled them in. She fancy cut pictures of the circus from a magazine and pasted them around the baseboard of her bedroom. The Christmas she was six years old, "Santa" brought her an easel with paint tubs, brushes, and paper. Surely by the time she was eight, she would outgrow this fascination with art. She didn't. 

Her parents had little money so getting art supplies were limited. Using the tempera paints she was able to get at the five and dime she painted a lady in a long pink gown and a castle. Her teacher seemed more impressed than her parents but she was encouraged. The tempera flaked off the more it aged but that didn't stop the girl from drawing and painting. She took art classes in junior high and high school. Sometimes she won awards. Sometimes she got discouraged but she kept trying and improving. Finally, she got oil paints and canvas. She painted a sunset for her aunt and the South Toe River for her Grandmother a place where she and her family camped. But life got in the way.

She had also written poetry from time to time. Sometimes while raising children it's easier to write rather than drag out paints. With pencil in hand, she drew and wrote a piece of poetry here and there and read Robert Frost to the children. 

She realized the Lord had given her these talents and though they were not where she wanted them to be, she was improving. I'm not where God wants me to be as a Christian but He keeps working on me and I hope I keep improving. 

Today

This morning, a pair of hungry house finches 

Searched the wreath on the door.

At noon, a wren sang a song from the dogwood tree.

Three herons flew in form, white against the evening sky.

What did I do today?

Was I hungry for God’s Word this morning?

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

~Matt5:6 KJV

Did I search for the Truth I needed to hear?

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. ~John 8:32 KJV

At noon, did I sing a song of rejoicing?

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. ~Psalms 100:1 KJV

Did I work in unity with the brethren?

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. ~John 17:21 KJV

What did I do today?

Heavenly Father, help me not to get discouraged when I don't see the rewards of my labors as fast as I'd like. Help me know the timing is in your hands and you expect me to keep on working for your glory. In Jesus's name. Amen.

Hey Kids:

What talents has the Lord given you?

 Can you sing?

 Are you an athlete? 

Can you draw and paint? 

Do you like writing? 

Often our talents lie in what we enjoy doing. The Lord expects us to keep on working and improving our talents though we may not see what good it is doing right away. God has a plan for each of us. 

Blessings,

Gail

Talented

 

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 

Colossians 3:23 (ESV)

Aren't these children talented? I think they are amazing to see the potential in dead wood and sticks and use them to construct tunnels or buildings or whatever they have planned. So often we overlook our talents. 

My grandmother saw me as a teacher when I was a child. I thought I had no interest in teaching. I loved drawing and painting and playing music, basically copying my cousin who could do no wrong. When I began school I developed an interest in writing poetry. The only book I had besides a Bible was Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes so it seems natural I would try to write in rhyme. 

What I really wanted to do was to get married and have lots of children like my great-grandmothers. 

Oh - history was my other great love. So I married, had three children quickly and then the doctor said no more. I wouldn't be able to carry another child to term. That's another story.

 

By this time my oldest was three and beginning to recognize environmental print - Pepsi, Exxon, KMart. I thought if he was interested in reading I should teach him. And I did. Then I taught my second son and my daughter. I liked teaching reading but I didn't have any more children to teach and my husband said no to homeschooling. Wait! Didn't Grandma say I was a teacher? I went back to school.

Several years into teaching we were told if we asked children to write we needed to write. You know, be an example. Don't ask someone to do what you won't do. It was scary but I did it. It was well received by the other teachers and administrators. Grandma said, "Teach." Was the Lord saying, "Write."?

Several years later I retired. I wanted the things I was writing to be illustrated the way I saw them in my mind. I'm particular like that. Years ago agents and publishers wanted to use their own illustrators. Some still do. But many want authors to illustrate or get an illustrator. That's a new twist. So I research, I draw, I paint. 

I heard an author say an important thing the other day, (I apologize I didn't get her name. It was an ETV show). She said, "Experience something common, notice what's going on, what it might mean. Start small." She was referencing writing but I think it applies to any talent the Lord has given us. 

In the parable of the talents, three people were given differing amounts of talents (money in the case of the story). The first two used their talents and acquired more. The last person hid his talent in the sand. It angered the master who took his talent and gave it to the one with the most. 

so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. Matthew 25:25-28 (ESV)

What talents do you have? What desires has the Lord put in your heart? 

Are you using them to honor the Lord while you raise your children and serve your family, your church, and your community? 

Is it time to dig up that talent and put it to use for the Master? 

Father, help me pause and examine the gifts, the talents you have given me. Though they may seem small, help me start noticing them, using them, and rejoice in how you multiply those talents through me. In Jesus's name, Amen.  

Used by God

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Sound like anyone you know? The death of Billy Graham is prominent news this week. Ninety-nine years old they say. But God prepared him to preach from the time of conception which would have probably been in February 1918. So, he actually was alive 100 years. 

The verse I quoted was written for the Prophet Jeremiah (Jer. 1:5 KJV) Psalms 139:14 makes a similar statement about King David. God even had plans for Samuel before he was born (I Samuel 1:11, 26-28). Each came to know the Lord and His plan at different times in their lives. 

Samuel was a child when He heard God's call. King David was probably a teen. Jeremiah said he was too young, but he was old enough for God. He stood before the people of a crumbling nation to preach, warning them and calling them to repentance. Billy Graham was near his seventeenth birthday when he came to know the Lord. He was a mighty man of God in our day. There have been others, Jonathan Edwards, Charles Spurgeon, and Billy Sunday to name a few. 

Does God have a plan for you? You don't have to be famous to be used of God. Remember the story of the little slave girl in II Kings 5:3? She was responsible for Naaman's journey to the prophet who told him to wash and be healed of his leprosy. And what about the boy with five loaves and two fishes (John 6:9-12)? We don't know their names, but they were used by God in a mighty way. There are no mistakes. You are important to God.  You too, have a special call on your life. Have you answered?

Hey Kids:

Do you know God has a special plan for you? Look up some of the verses above and see what children were able to do as part of God's plan. 

I have four grandchildren. One is a talented singer. Another is quite the athlete. The one pictured above is a budding artist. The youngest is still developing her talents, but she is a linguist for sure. They don't know yet how God will use them, but they are strengthening those talents. God will put those talents to use in His timing. 

What is your special talent?
How are you working at perfecting that talent?
Has God already shown you His plan? 

Let us know what special gifts God is calling you to use.

Blessings,

Gail