Natural Gifts of God; Talents
We have all heard it said of someone who is excellent at something that they have a “God given talent.” No truer words were spoken of human accomplishment.
There is not one specific place in scripture that says unequivocally that God creates us each with special talents. We see examples of Him endowing people with natural talents and using them in His service. David had musical abilities that went beyond simply strumming a harp. He played skillfully and God used it to soothe Saul’s troubled soul. God also used David’s musical talents in crafting the psalms we read today. When God gave Moses the ‘blueprint’ for the Tabernacle, He also gave the men with him abilities/talents to complete that work. Bezalel and Oholiab were two of the most skilled men. God said that He put His Spirit on them for this work but also “And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you” (Exodus 31:6b).
But the fact that God “knit us together” in our mother’s wombs speaks of Him having a hand in how we turn out. What genetics we receive and express plays a part in the talents we develop. This does NOT mean that those who have no ‘discernable’ or ‘marketable’ talents were created any less. Some talents are not recognized or valued the same. When I worked in the school system, I was an aid to a child with severe disabilities. He had very few abilities that the world saw as advantageous or desirable. What he did have was the ability to touch people’s hearts. To make them laugh. To bring a smile to their faces. He also had the ability to challenge me in both good and bad ways. He made me dig deep to find ways to help him learn the skills so readily grasped by his classmates. He required me to be creative in motivating him to abandon less desirable behaviors. His talents touched my life in ways no others could.
It also doesn’t mean that every ‘genetic abnormality’ is God’s doing or fault. We live in a fallen world. Satan and natural decay, because of the state of this world, enter into the equation too. Genetic mutations, both good and bad, happen and are passed down through our DNA. Also, some of our own behaviors cause these mutations that impact our unborn children. Drugs, smoking, and alcohol are three of the most notable. God has given man free will that allows him these choices, even when they irrevocably alter what He originally designed.
Being born with a ‘talent’ is not all there is to the equation. We don’t come out of the womb playing the piano, singing opera or leading Fortune 400 companies. We have to develop the talents that are placed within us. Sometimes our parents steer us in a direction they either notice we have an ability in or one that they desire us to follow. Practice, persistence, and patience builds on our God given talents to create the wonders we see in our world.
Jesus told a parable about talents during His time with His disciples. The talents in this parable were not the same kind of talents we are speaking of today but their use follows the same principles. In the story, three of the master’s servants were given talents; one received ten, one received five, and one received one. Each man had the opportunity to do with his talents what he chose. Two of the men put them to good use and developed them. One man hid his away and it was wasted. The master came back and asked for an accounting of what he had given his servants. Two were commended for their abilities because of how they used what was given to them. The last man was stripped of the little he had and was left with nothing.
‘God given talents’ are NOT confined to those who believe in God. There are both, believers and non-believers, who possess amazing talents and who develop those talents. The difference come in how we USE what we are given and WHOM it benefits. When we use our talents to benefit others, God can miraculously use them. One of my favorite stories of this comes from my own extended family. I have an aunt who was in a group that did music ministry. I know part of her ministries focus was prison inmates but I’m sure they performed in other venues. At one point, they lost their piano player and were having a hard time replacing this key person (no pun originally intended). My aunt didn’t know what to do but she prayed about it. I believe she asked God to help her learn to play the piano. God’s Spirit came to her and imparted the ability to play the piano in a dream. When she awoke, she had the talent fully developed to allow her to step into the vacant role and restore their group. She has told me years later that she no longer remembers how to play the piano. God only needed her to use this talent for a specific season. She still has MANY other talents that God has given her and granted her the opportunity to develop. She was willing to serve the people God had called her to in any way she could, and God blessed her efforts.
This does not mean that those who become famous for their talents are only self-serving and are not blessed. Many become famous WHILE serving others AND serving His Kingdom. Check out the Christian artists we listen to on the radio. They pour their hearts and souls into serving God through the talents He gave them. And their lives are enriched by their service too.
Those who only use their talents to serve themselves often end up feeling empty. The man who is SO focused on improving his skill or lining his pockets will neglect other aspects of life that could bring him joy. It is AMAZING how fulfilling it is to share with others and how empty it is to walk alone, even if it is on the uplifted arms of those praising you for your talents.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” Colossians 3:23-24).
Father God, THANK YOU for the talents You have placed in my life AND allowed me to develop. I, never in my wildest dreams, would have expected to be sitting here, sharing Your words with the world. You allowed me to develop my imagination, study skills, and writing skills. You encouraged me through showing me insight that took my breath away in our own personal time to share that insight and encouragement with others. I DO NOT claim to be ANY type of bible scholar or have all the answers to the questions. Often, I’m left with more questions as we go through Your word together that only You can answer and that have to wait until we are face to face for those answers. Thank You for letting me share my heart along with Your words. You often speak through my experiences to help me understand what You are sharing with me. I pray that it blesses others too and doesn’t turn them away from what You want to share.
Thank You for the talents You have given me in SO MANY other areas. I LOVE using them to serve others. Forgive me when I take the glory for the gifts You have bestowed on me. They are TRULY from You, as is the time and avenues You have provided for me to develop them. Let me give to others as freely as You have given to me. Even in the little things. They often mean so much to others and cost me so little to give. A smile. A kind word. A helping hand with balancing a checkbook. ALL the little things I do out of love for others are YOUR gifts to both of us! And many of the things I do out of necessity for others (at least in my mind) for others are YOUR gifts for both of us too. THANK YOU, again, for the opportunities to give from what You have given me.
