The Truth About Talent

The other day my husband and I were reminiscing about the first house we purchased together in Arizona. We were 25 years old at the time. 

“Remember how nice we fixed up the yard before we sold it?” I commented.

“Yes, but we didn’t make any updates to the interior except paint,” he responded, then he added, “but that was before I knew how to do renovations.”

“That’s not true.” I said as I considered his comment, “the talent was in you when you were born, you just had not yet discovered your ability to do carpentry work!”

We don’t wake up one day and have a talent. We are all given talents by our Creator before we are born—they are a gift straight from the hand of God. So, talent is the inherent, natural ability of a person to do something. Whereas skill is something that you acquire after putting in a lot of hard work—it is learned.

We are told in the Word what we are to do with our God-given talents, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” (I Peter 4:10)

Consider David, the shepherd. He received many talents, some of which he discovered while out in the field, tending his father’s sheep. David was not only a brave warrior, but he was also a great leader, and somewhere along the way, he recognized that he could also play the harp. (I Samuel 16:18)

The truth about talent is that discovering our real purpose starts with a prayer or a dream that turns into a deep desire and passion. Once we put action to talent, there is nothing that we cannot accomplish!

Nehemiah is one of my favorite examples of a person who knew how to put action to talent. When Nehemiah found out that the walls and gates of Jerusalem were in disrepair, he became so burdened with the news that he wept, mourned, fasted, and prayed before God, asking for favor in the eyes of the king to go and rebuild the walls. 

Nehemiah knew God could use his talents to get the job done. When faced with significant opposition, he did not give up or give in but instead prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.” (Nehemiah 6:9) Nehemiah stood firm, finishing the wall in just 52 days.

We all possess unique talents that set us apart from one another! When we bring our talents together, we become the true picture of the church—all glory and honor to God!

The truth about our talents is that when we function and serve together within them, we feel whole and complete! 

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

Stay the course…

Sheila