People are different. This obvious truth is one that merits our consideration. But, what makes us different? At least three factors play a part: 1. Our choices, which we control. 2. Our environment, over which we have very little control. 3. And our genetics and physical make-up, over which we have no control. We might say concerning this, “By the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Corinthians 15:10). It is the case that each person seems to be born with a certain set of abilities or talents. We are “bent” different ways. One person’s “bent” may be more obvious and easily discovered than another’s, but we are all “bent” and all have abilities specific to us.
What is your bent? If we remember that God is the source of our abilities then we recognize that we have no right to brag about them. "For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou that thou didst not receive Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?" (1 Corinthians 4:7). We could just as well brag about the color of our hair. Some people are gifted speakers or artists, and some people have milder tempers than others, and all of these by no rite of their own; they just seem to be born that way. How about you? Do not be afraid to admit to yourself that you have a particular ability. As a matter of fact, you must admit it, and for this reason: you cannot use what you will not admit exists.
In the parable of the talents, the master of the story gives different sums of money to his servants and later returns to receive the interest that they have gained by putting his money to use (cf. Matthew 25:14-30). One servant hid his money in the ground. This servant said, in essence, “I will hide this money and forget (or at least deny) that it exists.” When his master found that his money had not been put to use, he said to the servant, “You wicked and slothful servant!” You see, his master expected use out of his money. Just the same, God expects use out of the abilities with which He has blessed us. Could the servants have danced and bragged about how much money they had earned after they had been gifted it by their master? Of course not. They did not earn the money at all. They were given it by another. To brag about a thing that they had received would be condemnable. But if they were to act as if the money did not exist, and hide it, they would be equally condemned, like the wicked servant was.
Chances are that you use your abilities often (although you may not consider what you are doing as “using” those abilities because it comes so naturally to you), but, to what end are you using them? Give your abilities direction, and not just any direction, a godly direction (cf. Colossians 3:1, 2). Use what you have to glorify God and to inspire others to greatness. I leave you with this quote: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others” (A Return to Love, Marianne Williamson).
Step up to the plate. Admit that you have greatness in you, and then admit that you have nothing to brag about. And now that you’ve done that, inspire others to greatness, because just like you, they have something to offer.
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