You Be You: A 7-Day Reading Plan with Jamie IveySample

Your Talent Is Made to Be Used  

In Jesus’ parable of the talents in Matthew 25:16-18, we find out what the servants actually did with their talents while the master was away. 

The first man took his talents, conducted business with them, and made five more talents. Doubled his investment. The second man took his talent and made two more talents. He, too, doubled his investment. The third servant, on the other hand, dug a hole in the ground and hid his talent. He did nothing productive with it.

And for just a couple of seconds, I want to talk real straight with you. If digging holes to hide your talent is something you’re in the habit of doing, I might just need to give you a little kick in the pants, because you haven’t been doing anything with the talents God has given you. Remember, this parable has nothing to do with the number of talents these people had, but everything to do with what the person did with his talents after the master left town.

Why do you think you’ve been burying your talent?

Maybe you’ve been burying it because you think it’s not as good as someone else’s. You look around and compare yourself to others, and think you shouldn’t do anything with your talent because it’s so seemingly small.

Or maybe you bury your talent because you’ve been burned by trying to use your gifts and talents before, and you don’t want to feel that feeling ever again. You tried once and it didn’t go too well, so instead of trying again, you’ve decided to bury what God has given you out of fear of rejection, fear of the unknown, or fear of failure.

But here’s how you put a stop to that faulty logic. In order to be the kind of servant who puts yourself out there to double your talent, like the wise servants in Jesus’ story, you need to be willing to say, “This isn’t about me; this is about me using what God has given me to bring Him glory.”

I just want to burst your bubble for a moment, if you don’t mind. Your talents were never meant for you. They were given to you by the God of the universe so that you could serve others. The secret to being more faithful in using your talents is by turning your focus away from how they reflect on you and more onto how God can put them to work in helping the people around you.

The reason the two men doubled their talents wasn’t because they were smarter businessmen than the third guy. The reason they were able to double their talents was simply because they did something with them. Look at what God has given you, and ask yourself how you’re using your talents to serve others around you. If you can’t come up with anything, you need to get your booty in gear and start doing something.

PRAY 

Dear God, I confess that I have often hidden my talents. Forgive me for wasting that which you have given me. Show me, Lord, how you want me to use what you’ve given me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.