Talent: Use it or Lose It! Yes, I'm Talking to You!

Everyone has a talent. The Bible tells us to use our talents to help and serve others. Have you ever stopped to think of what talents you possess and how you can use those talents to help others?

When you think of the word "talent," you might think to yourself that you have no talents. Some people are great singers, cooks, artists, carpenters, salesmen, etc. Perhaps you are no good at any of these things. Does that mean that you have no talent? Of course not! Although your talent may not seem apparent to you, everyone has talent. Your talent might be something as simple as talking. How can talking be a talent? It depends on how you use it. If you are a good talker, you can use that talent for the greater good. Why not use it to tell someone about God? You could do something as simple as cheering others up when they are down.

Perhaps it is your shining personality that is your talent. You might not even realize it, but your personality might be the very thing that helps others keep going every day. Perhaps they think they have nothing to look forward to and yet, when they see your shining face, the world is suddenly a little bit brighter for them. Without knowing it, your personality could even one day save someone's life. Maybe someone was contemplating suicide and then they met you and suddenly, life didn't seem so bad anymore.

Stop and think about the talents that you possess. How can you use them for the greater good? We are told by God to live our lives for others; in service to others. We are supposed to "treat our neighbors are ourselves." Sometimes this may be extremely difficult, especially when we encounter others that are grouchy, mean, or downright unpleasant. However, I have learned that sometimes, if I keep pushing and pushing my "bouncy, cheerfulness" on others, eventually it rubs off a little. Perhaps they feel that they have been given a rough lot in life. Maybe they have recently lost a loved one or they are ill and in pain each day. Sometimes we may never know what others are enduring. We need to try to keep that in mind as we interact with others and be careful not to judge them.

I have been guilty of judging, myself. Sometimes I come into contact with someone that is in a customer service position and they are extremely unpleasant. I wonder what in the world they are doing serving customers when they are so miserable to be doing so. However, perhaps they are not always that way. They might have just been given awful news; we have no way of knowing sometimes what others are going through. We need to practice patience with them and do our best to remain cheerful, regardless of how unpleasant they are to us. Your talent might be as simple as that-being mindful of others, even when they are not mindful of you.

The Bible says that God loves a cheerful giver. Perhaps you enjoy the way that you feel when you give to others anonymously and without reward. In other words, sometimes others may never know what you have done for them. This is okay to a "giver" because they do not giving for acknowledgment and honor. They are giving to make a difference in the lives of others. Giving does not always require a monetary donation; it could be as simple as giving your time or energy/efforts to help others.

Maybe your talent is cleaning. You can use that talent to keep your house clean for your family, or perhaps clean the home of an elderly man/woman that can no longer do it themselves. Perhaps you are a good parent. Use your talent to be kind to your children, teach them well, and spend time with them. This will help them grow up to be a happy, responsible adult.

Although our talents might seem to us as something ordinary, we never know what affect they have on other people. Therefore, we need to be mindful of them and how they affect others. "To the world you are one person, but to one person, you might be the world" (Unknown author). You may never even know the good that your talent has done for others, but it is still important to continue using it. If we fail to use our talents, we begin to forget them; we get rusty. We need to be sure that we don't let our talents wither away. Don't convince yourself that your "measly little talent" would not benefit anyone or make a bit of difference, anyway. It might impact someone more than you know. Many of the world's greatest companies began with a single person's ideas or efforts. You are important and you can make a difference; let your talents shine brightly!