Each one of us has things that we do that we are really good at. Things that bring us joy, bring others joy, make us very productive, and, in general, have the capability of profiting God’s Kingdom. As we journey through life we try new things (jobs, hobbies, tasks, etc.) some of which are whimsical, some just passing fancies, some life changing. Some of them we work really hard at but just cannot seem to get it and, as a result we eventually abandon them. Others we try, really do well at it, enjoy it, and it then becomes part of who we are. It becomes part of our “skill set” or “Talents”. We each have a unique set of talents. No two of us are exactly alike. Yes, there are others that have a talent like one of yours, but not like all of yours. As Christians, we are asked to use our unique set of talents to profit God’s Kingdom.
I have been fortunate enough that, over the course of my working career, with a couple of exceptions, I have had jobs that match my talents pretty well. (Interesting how that works out. Thank you Lord.) Like most working people we begin to identify ourselves by what we do at our jobs. We become the job and the job becomes us. It becomes part of who we are. Most of us will continue to do our jobs until we have had enough of it and are able to retire from the job that uses our talents and transition to a life style that uses our talents for other reasons than to earn a living. Hopefully we use them in such a way as to profit God’s Kingdom. Conversely, I have not been fortunate enough to choose to have had enough of the job and transition to a new and desired life style. (No, I’m not going to have a personal pity party. Just the opposite.)
In December of 2009 I found myself in the situation where I had take a leave from work because of my cancer. This was a very difficult thing to do. I was hoping beyond hope that I would be able to return to work and continue my job in the near future but it just wasn’t going to happen. Finally, in May of 2010 I formally took an early retirement and, well, suddenly I don’t have my job anymore. This has been a very difficult transition for me but, with God’s guidance, I believe that I am transitioning and soon will be well established in the new “me” using my talents, hopefully in a way that is pleasing to God.
Where Do These Talents Come From?
Just what determines what our talent set will be? We can’t choose what our talents are. We don’t just sit back early on in our lives, make up a list of the things we want to be really good at, and then just go get good at it. Oh yes, we may make a list of what we want to try to be good at but, as you know, it doesn’t always work out that way. After trying and experiencing enough things we begin to identify what our talent set is and put it to good use, however it is we define “good”. The reality is that we don’t choose our talents, God provided us with our talents when he created us. He knew what He needed from us and wants for us and, since He is God, He was able to form each one of us uniquely to meet His and our needs. Our only task in all of this was to discover what our God given talents are and then put them to good use.
Psalm 22:10 -- On you I was cast from my birth, and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
Psalm 139:13-16 -- For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed.
Isaiah 44:2 -- Thus says the Lord who made you, who formed you in the womb and will help you…
So the things we are really good at we are really good at because God decided He wanted us to be really good at it. When you think about it that way we had very little impact on what we are really good at.
Rush Limbaugh, the politically conservative and very controversial talk radio show host claims that he has “Talent, on loan, from God.” I know many people take this as a boastful, self-absorbed, out of line comment. But you know, he technically is correct. He is very talented at what he does. He is a very good radio talk show host. God has “loaned” him this talent. I’ll let you judge for yourself whether or not he is profiting God’s Kingdom in the way he is using his talent.
Pride
You may think that you have a pretty good set of talents given to you by God and you most likely do (after all, God gave them to you). Yet think about the talents an Archangel might have been given by God. The two well known Archangels, Michael and Gabriel, must be something to behold. And then there was a third, Lucifer, the Morning Star, who thought he had it all. In fact, he thought that he had more than God Himself and, because of his self-righteous pride attempted to put himself above God. Lucifer thought he was who he was because of what he had made himself. He forgot that he is who he is because God created him that way. Lucifer gave himself all of the glory for his abilities and, as a result, did not give God the thanks and the glory for what his abilities were. Big mistake.
Isaiah 14:12-15 -- How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.
I don’t think God thought much of Lucifer’s attitude. God has given us our talents so that we have the capability to do His work. What we do with our talents is up to us and God will judge us based upon how we use our talents.
Matthew 25:14-28 -- "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
Ezekiel 28:17 -- Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.
We may not consciously want to put ourselves above God as Lucifer did, but we are easily tempted to proudly accept praise from others for what “we” did because, after all, we worked hard to perfect our talents and we do deserve the praise and admiration of others. Right? I don’t think so. By proudly accepting the praise and admiration of others without acknowledging that our accomplishments are a result of the talents God has created us with for His purposes is just like putting ourselves above God. Isn’t selfish pride essentially “self worship”?
Psalms 10:4 -- In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
Proverbs 16:5 -- The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.
1 Corinthians 4:7 -- For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
Romans 12:3 -- For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
If you want to be proud of something you have accomplished with your God given talents be proud not because of what you have done, be proud that you understand and know God and with that knowledge you successfully used your God given talents to do God’s work. Accept the admiration, but openly acknowledge that the credit goes to God.
Jeremiah 9:23-24 -- ...but let those who boast boast in this, that they understand and know me, that I am the Lord; I act with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight.
God doesn’t like self-righteous pride. God likes humility. I truly wish that I had discovered this years ago. Lord, forgive me for proudly accepting praise from others without acknowledging that the praise is yours and that I am only your instrument in doing your work.
Humility
I have said many times (and will likely say it many more times) that I am humbled by the number of people who have come to aid and comfort my family during our time of need. What it feels like to be humbled is hard for me to describe but it is feeling meek, lowly, and insufficient while at the same time being so very thankful that someone is joyously giving of themselves to me. Humility is a profound emotion and, as you might expect, has had a profound impact on how I think about myself, how I think about others, and how I think about God.
Compared to God we are all meek, lowly, and insufficient. God joyfully gives of Himself to us so that we are capable to do His work.
Ephesians 2:8-10 -- For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God - not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life
God delights in providing for us, and delights in our good works and our humility.
Micah 6:8 -- He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.
James 4:6 -- But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:6 -- Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
Luke 14:11 -- For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Proverbs 22:4 -- The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.
Psalm 25:9 -- He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
I have learned to humble myself before my Lord God. He has made me who I am with all of my good points and bad points. I am His creation. Without Him I would be, well, nothing.
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