Talent
March 5, 2023

Talent

Kingdom Culture
Todd Blansit

March 5, 2023

The Bible tells us that

each of us is created in the image of God and with specific purposes for contributing to his kingdom here on earth. We were created uniquely and with our own supply of talents and abilities that we were given to bring glory to God and to share the message of the Gospel.

Romans 12.3-8

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Comparison and jealousy kill your joy and creativity.

1 Peter 4.10-11
10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

notice that Peter said, Each of you should use The words each of you are translated from the Greek word hekastos, which is an all-inclusive word that literally means every single person, no one excluded. This undeniably means that every person who has been born of the Spirit and who declares that Jesus is Lord has been supernaturally endowed with gifts from God. Because the word hekastos is used, it emphatically means that no one is excluded from these God-given gifts. Even the person with the lowest self-esteem is mightily gifted by the Spirit of God but simply unaware of the powerful gifts that reside inside him.

Am I good enough to be used for God’s glory?
Do I even have a talent?
My talent is so common, surely God wouldn’t use me?
How can my gift be used?
I am ordinary, can God use me?
Let me encourage you, God has a plan for you and has equipped you with everything you need.

Gifts and talents aren’t always something that put us on a stage for all to see. Some of us are in the spotlight admired by thousands, others work quietly behind the scenes, touching hearts in ways they will never know.

John 15.5
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

We all serve God in different ways. As I mentioned above, some are much more noticeable than others. But, no matter how big or small, God wants us to use these gifts for His glory!

Matthew 25.14-30
14“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, a each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
21“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22“The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
23“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28“ ‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

He expects us to use our gifts wisely.

What will we do with the blessings we’ve been given? God gives us free will to choose. He loves us so much that he allows us to freely decide our path in life. He desires that we grow our gifts for His glory, but it’s up to each of us to decide. Will we help the needy? Clothe the naked? Feed the hungry? Show mercy? Grant forgiveness? Love one another? Or will we squander our money and blessings? Hide or misuse our talents? Use our skills for evil instead of good? Worship money and financial status above God?

He doesn’t judge us all by the same standard.

The talents (gold/coins) were given according to each person’s ability. We are created with different skills and abilities and are never entrusted with more than God knows we can handle. He ensures we have the money, resources, aptitude, skills, and ability to accomplish His will for our life, no matter how small or great the goal is. He assesses our performance not based on how our accomplishments compare to others, but upon how well we’ve lived for His good and glory according to our abilities and resources.

Revelation 12.10-11
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.
11 They triumphed over him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from death.


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