You've Got Talent!

I have to admit that I am a big "American Idol" and "Dancing With The Star's" watcher.  Perhaps it goes back to my grade school days when my grandfather paid me $.50 for singing in the fox hunt talent show. Yes, I can still sing "Little Space Girl" at the top of my lungs!  I was probably six at the time, but I'm sure I was just adorable as I sang and a bug flew in my throat and sent me into a coughing frenzy.  Oh sweet memories!

It just fascinates me to watch how these contestants, who over a matter of weeks, just keep getting better and better as they use their skills and get their nerves under control.  That takes talent!

Jesus also talked about another kind of talent in Matthew 25:14-30.  In fact it is called "The Parable Of The Talents".  He tells the story of a man who went on a journey and entrusted his property to his servants.  He gave one servant 5 talents (which was a measurement of money).  He gave another servant two and another one. So each servant received just what the master intended them to have.  The man with the five talents invests his money and gains five more.  The one who had two doubled his also.  But the one who received one talent dug a hole and buried his.  The first two were commended for their faithfulness in using what the master had entrusted  to them.  But the one talent man was accused of being wicked and lazy by his master. Sure, he still had what he began with, but he didn't even try to do anything with it and even in his failure begins to blame the master, "Lord, I knew you to be a hard man." Jesus says in the parable that the least the one talent man could have done was deposit the money in the bank and made some interest!

Let's face it, the tendency now days is just to do enough to get by. We see it in the workplace and sometimes even carried over into the Christian community.  We have our fire insurance policy, bound for heaven, so we consider ourselves good to go! But we miss the mark by not being a servant to others. Remember how Christ showed us that example when He washed the disciples feet?  "Whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your servant." (Matt. 20:26, NIV)  In fact that is the very thing that Christ talks about at the end of this chapter in Matthew.  "The King will reply, I tell you the truth whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine you did for me." (Matt. 25:45, NIV)  A mentoring thought to spur us on this day...Are we striving to use and increase the talents God has entrusted to each one of us?

Following is a poem I wrote a few years back.  For you American Idol watchers, one of the past winners, Taylor Hicks, sang his finale song, "Do I Make Your Proud?"  It was written as he was wondering if he made his dad proud.  But upon pondering this question, I wondered if I made my Heavenly Father proud? So I wrote this:

Do I Make You Proud?

Do I make you proud, when I help someone out who is struggling just to hang on?

Do I make you proud, when I stop amid life, and listen above noisy throng?

Do you smile, when I take just a moment or two to talk to You in this rush?

Are you happy whenever I turn to You and we commute in the quiet soft hush?

Are you pleased, when I use my talents and gifts to help brighten someones day?

Do you listen with glee, when I speak a kind word as I send someone on their way?

Do you confirm "Well Done" when I tell our grandchild, that their loved by us and by You?

Do you nod in agreement, when speaking the truth, because it's the right thing to do?

I know, Lord, that you love the humble,and perhaps these thoughts aren't allowed

But my life's biggest goal and what I'm wanting to ask, is a question: "Do I make you proud"?