– Find Your Talents

Talent is the predisposition to be great in certain areas.  We each have talents or natural abilities and aptitudes that may not be fully developed at this point.

We can be consumed in trying to address our weaknesses. Life is about improving but it is also about using and magnifying our talents.  Why don’t we spend more time on using our talents and trying to make a difference in people’s lives?  Can we best help others if we are just consumed with our faults?   Will we in turn be critical of others?

As we look at the life of George Washington, we see that “leadership” was his talent.  He was a visionary.  He had an encompassing and far-reaching vision. Others shared his vision.  He instilled in others the beliefs and values important to obtaining the vision.  He believed and insisted that people could change.  He learned how to focus both on strategy and tactics to achieve the vision.  He was persistent.

Once we develop one talent, we are given others.   Consider the parable of talents.

Matthew 25: 14-27

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he a gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

He also he that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed.