We all belong to the same human family, but, we all have subtle
differences. We all have eyes, but the range of size and color are such a
testament to the creativity of the Lord. Something so small, yet so
individually created and loved into being by our Father.
We are all gifted with different abilities too. You have special
talents, give to you by our Father, to use for his glory. No one is born
without some special strength. Even though I know that to be true, I’ve heard
people deny it.
“I can’t do anything right” or “I missed the announcement to
get in the talent line, so I don’t have any special skills.”
I want to say, “Oh brother. Who’s been telling you this
stuff?”
It’s not God, that's for sure. He says you are fearfully and
wonderfully made.
My mother-in-law would say that she was born without any
talent. She never learned to play a musical instrument, never owned a bike,
never played sports. The list of what she 'couldn’t do' was endless.
You know what’s funny? She would tell me this while serving
a ninety-eight-course meal every Sunday. (Slight exaggeration...but only slight.)
Yep, for twenty plus years, our family would drive out to
Grandma and Grandpa’s for Sunday dinners. This was an Italian tradition,
and
was it nice! We’d have pasta with homemade sauce (‘gravy’), two kinds of meat
and at least three vegetables. Sometimes we’d have crostini and homemade
lasagna or ravioli. Yeah Grandma, you have no skills at all. Pass the bread
(homemade, of course)!
I’d try and try to tell her that she was an incredible cook.
She’d always pooh-pooh the idea that she could cook. You know who thinks that’s
crazy? All the people who can’t cook! Like me!
Oh, I can boil water and do basic stuff. But you don’t see
me making homemade pasta or cooking for six or seven guests every week for
twenty years. (I didn’t even describe the desserts…)
I think the problem lies with how the concept of
‘talent’ is viewed. Unless we are Captains of Industry, or Olympic Athletes, somehow our
abilities don’t seem that important. Or worth anything. What is cooking next to
a baseball player making multimillions a year?
But that’s human logic; God doesn’t think that way. He sees
my MIL and that baseball player as equals. Both of them are using their
abilities for their enjoyment, and for others too. That is exactly why they
were given in the first place.
We shouldn't be busy deciding what
talents ‘count’ and which ones don’t. We should all celebrate our talents, no matter what they
are. They are all unique and beautiful and God given, so isn’t that enough?
Labels: gifts, skills, talents
