What's Your Talent?

This past Sunday, our pastor preached on Matthew 25:14-30 - The Parable of the Talents. If you haven't read that scripture in a while, I hope you do! This sermon stuck with me and has been on my mind since church on Sunday. Talent: when I think about the word talent, I honestly think about what talent I don't have. I wish I had the talent to sing, to look at a Pinterest idea and make it, to write (you will be able to tell by this blog that I'm not a writer - I think I'm better at communicating with the spoken word, than the written word), to cook, etc...

Growing up, I thought my talent might be in twirling the baton in high school. Yes, I was a majorette in high school and yes, I looked for a photo to show you proof but I couldn't find one in my stash - I know there's some pictures at my parent's house that will always be there to haunt me. I don't know what we were thinking with our sparkly uniforms!

I thought my talent might be in playing tennis. I love tennis! I played in High School and was lucky enough to play a little in college. I loved playing and was actually decent at it. 

When I didn't make it to Wimbledon, I was pretty sure my talent as a tennis player wasn't going to pay the bills so I would need to find something else to make it in the "real world."

Listening to our pastor on Sunday, he conveyed that God has given us talent on loan. What we have and can do is given by God...and each one of us has a different talent. Not one of us is exactly the same - hallelujah - right?? And we are here on this Earth for our lifetime to use that talent or talents. Some have one, some have more, but it's not our place to compare...it is our job to use our talent for His glory!

I think that this sermon has stuck to me because I've been yearning to figure my place. Anybody ever done that before or is that just me? I watch the news and see this world in decay. There are so many things going on today that I feel like there's so much that we as Christians need to do and stand up for but I think, I'm just one person, what can I do??? I also think about Mallory and the world that she is growing up in and what it will be like when she's my age. We as Christians today are fighting so much opposition, I can't imagine what it will be like in 20 years.

So, I've been praying that while I think I may know what my talent(s) is, that God will show me opportunities where my talent can be used for Him. Many women have been given the talent of being a mother - to love our children and raise them in a Christian home...many women have been given the talent of being a Christian wife, praying for our husband each day and striving to be the Proverbs 31 woman. Many women have been given the talent to be used in the workplace. Many women have the talent of communication. Many women have the talent of being creative and using that it so many ways! 

I feel that my talent is more in the logistics side of things. Give me an event and I can plan it and have all the logistics in place (who, what, when, where) but when it comes to decorating an event, I'm lost! Ha! Thankfully that's why we were all given different talents because where I lack in creativity, many of my friends flourish with that talent and I think we work well together!

And like I said before, I think I'm better at the spoken word, than the written word and I know that talent has helped me forge some great relationships in my life. Communication is a big thing to me and when someone new visits our Sunday School class or church, I want to be there and greet them and make them feel so welcomed. An encouraging word is always helpful to a friend and I hope that I can use my talent of communication (as I call it) to lift others up. God wants us to lift and build each other up so hopefully I can do that with the talent He's given me!

So, what's your talent? Are you a Mother? Wife? Friend? Communicator? Writer? Servant? Giver? Listener? Creator? Helper? Teacher? and on and on.

Whatever it is, let's encourage each other in this great adventure of life and see what all we can do together for God's glory!