Gifts and Talents

Matthew 25: ¹⁴ “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶ The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. ¹⁷ So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. ¹⁸ But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

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“Wow, you are talented” someone said to me for the first time. I was used to being ostracized and laughed at. “How do you do that?” they asked. “I don’t know… I just do it. I replied. It felt good to be noticed for something good for a change.

• Every once in a while I have been recognized for a talent.
• Every once in a while I have been recognized for what I could do.
• Every once in a while I have been given an award or a pat on the back for “my” accomplishments.

After a while I craved positive validation from the crowd and I got it. Soon “I” was the one who could solve any and every problem. I wasn’t thankful for “my” talents.

• GOD wants me to be thankful for the talents HE gave me.
• GOD wants me to use the abilities HE gave me to grow HIS kingdom.
• GOD wants me to recognize that nothing I do comes from “me” rather it was HE who created me.

JESUS starts off the story with an analogy of money as a gift HE gives to people according to their ability. HE gave me my gifts and talents according to what I could handle. I do not need to be jealous of others.

• Are you jealous over someone’s talents?
• Do you think your abilities come from you or GOD?
• Can you acknowledge that GOD has given you gifts and wants you to use them for HIS kingdom?