Oh, those talents......
...to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Matt.25:14-14
Oh, those talents. They were a denomination of currency. I always twist that around more than a little because.... well, in my mind - a talent is a talent!
If your congregation is anything like mine, you have finished or just about finished your stewardship campaign. You have heard, for the um-teenth repetition about the 3 T's: time, treasure and talent. While others have a gift to make the dollars and cents pitch (if you're still putting in $5 each week, think about how much that five bucks bought for you 8 years ago[when you started pledging this amount] and what it buys now....) there are times when the time and talent aspects get short shrift.
I am here and now putting a plug in for talent. Raw talent, refined talent.... the talent to teach another language or to bake bread, the talent to sing or play the accordian, the talent to write poetry or publicity blurbs, the talent to listen, the talent (and I do think it comes naturally to some people) to be thoughtful.
Our parishes are made up of mini talent factories, yet often those talents are never acknowledged or given the moment to shine.
If you have five talents, invest them - in usage, in study, in practise. If you have two talents, invest them - impart the wisdom associated with your talent to someone else or discern the same talent in someone else and mentor them. If you have one talent, use it. Don't hide it. If generousity and service teaches us anything it is that the process of giving and sharing engenders plenty - in us and in others.
Got talent? USE IT (and thank God for it in the first place)!
Oh, those talents. They were a denomination of currency. I always twist that around more than a little because.... well, in my mind - a talent is a talent!
If your congregation is anything like mine, you have finished or just about finished your stewardship campaign. You have heard, for the um-teenth repetition about the 3 T's: time, treasure and talent. While others have a gift to make the dollars and cents pitch (if you're still putting in $5 each week, think about how much that five bucks bought for you 8 years ago[when you started pledging this amount] and what it buys now....) there are times when the time and talent aspects get short shrift.
I am here and now putting a plug in for talent. Raw talent, refined talent.... the talent to teach another language or to bake bread, the talent to sing or play the accordian, the talent to write poetry or publicity blurbs, the talent to listen, the talent (and I do think it comes naturally to some people) to be thoughtful.
Our parishes are made up of mini talent factories, yet often those talents are never acknowledged or given the moment to shine.
If you have five talents, invest them - in usage, in study, in practise. If you have two talents, invest them - impart the wisdom associated with your talent to someone else or discern the same talent in someone else and mentor them. If you have one talent, use it. Don't hide it. If generousity and service teaches us anything it is that the process of giving and sharing engenders plenty - in us and in others.
Got talent? USE IT (and thank God for it in the first place)!
posted by Joanna Depue | 10:05 AM
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