“Your talent is God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God.”
~ Leo Buscaglia
We are in the middle of our annual school musical. This year, our students are presenting The Music Man, Jr. As they do so, they showcase the talent with which God has so richly blessed them. Every year, I am incredibly impressed with the students and their shows.
One of the reasons that they are so uplifting is because the students use the talent that has been given to them without reservation. Whatever that talent is, they are willing to put it all on the line for the enjoyment of others. Every student has a different talent. Some are singers, some are dancers, some are leads, some are background characters. There are still others who have been blessed with other talents. They help with technical things like lighting, sound, spotlights, house crew, set crew and the like.
All of us have gifts. No one is quite like us. We are all richly blessed and richly unique. When we utilize our gifts to the fullest of our abilities and when we join with others who are using their gifts to the fullest of their abilities, well, we can literally rock the world!
The problem is that some people spend too much of their time comparing themselves to others and thinking that they come up short. Sure, we might not all be leads. Sure, we might not all be singers. Sure, we might not all be performers. But we all have some talent, some gift, that can be given that enhances the whole.
Just as it goes in theatre, it goes in our spiritual lives. We cannot all be the best preacher, the best teacher, the best choir member, the best lector, et cetera. But each of us, using our God-given talents to the best of our ability can enhance our spiritual lives as a family, a community, a parish, and a Church. God has given us unique talents so that each of us can shine in some aspect.
Never think that what you have been given is not as good as someone else. God formed you and God knows you inside and out. That is why God gave you your unique gifts — because they make you, they complete you. Never be afraid to use them.
FAITH ACTION: Identify the talents that God has given to you and work on using them each day in order to give back to God.