Are You Using Your Talents?

As we continue to watch America's Got Talent it reminds me of a story I once read about a talent show at a local hall.

The first contestant played a saxophone solo. It was so brilliant that the audience cheered wildly and gave him a standing ovation. On the basis of that one solo, people were comparing the player to John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. Shortly after he walked of the stage, a very prominent individual in the music industry offered the player a recording contract, and a chance to play with some of his jazz heroes.

The second contestant read a poem she wrote. The words and the way she read those words moved some people to tears. When she was done, the audience cheered enthusiastically. Shortly after she walked of the stage, she was offered a position writing poetry for the local newspaper writing , with an opportunity to publish more of her work.

The third contestant walked out to the stage carrying a guitar. "Well," he stammered, "I had thought I would play this guitar my father gave me. But there are other players so much better than me, so I didn’t put anything together."

The crowd fell silent. Shortly after he walked off the stage, his father seized the guitar and gave it to the saxophone player saying, "Take this and use it so that others may hear the music this instrument makes."

How often do we feel like the third contestant? Perhaps you are feeling like you have a talent for something, but you’re not sure if you are talented enough. Have you ever thought about where your talents come from?

God knows our potential better than we do! He gives us an abundance of talents because He loves us enough to trust us with them. It is up to us to use those talents. Otherwise, like the father of the guitarist in the story, He will take our talents away from us and give them to someone else who will use them. So let us use our talents proudly, toward eternal ends, trusting in Him who gave us those talents in the first place. Make the commitment today to use the talent God gave you; after all He gave it to you for a reason.

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

- Ephesians 4:16 (King James Version)

Dear Lord and Heavenly Father, We pray that we will use the talents that you gave to each of us. Help us to remember that You will take them and multiply them if only we are willing to use them. In Jesus’ Name, Amen