Are you less talented?

Do you aspire to do something great—something really important to you and others? Good…

If you are like me, you have developed a scale or grading system to determine if accomplishments are “significant.” Historically, I will run my ideas and abilities through that scale and become discouraged and paralyzed when they don’t “qualify.”

Consider this story: A ruler is heading out of town for a while. Before he goes, he calls three of his servants, tells them he is going away, and entrusts his possessions to them in varying amounts. He gives one man 5 talents, the second man 2, and the third 1. The ruler expects the servants to use what he entrusted to them for gain.

The ruler returns to find that the man with five made five more. The man with two made two more. But the man with 1 hid his talent and made nothing more.

The ruler celebrated the servants given the five and the two. Surprisingly, the ruler instructs the man given the one talent to give that talent to the man who made five. Considering the situation, it makes a lot of sense to give that one talent to the servant who was diligent to fully utilize what was entrusted to him.

Question: How would the ruler have responded if the one-talent servant had gained one more instead of hiding what he had been given?

I honestly believe the ruler would have celebrated the one just as much.

I believe God has entrusted something to everyone. I also believe God wants us to use what He has entrusted to us for His glory.

Don’t look around at others’ talents. Look up and ask God what He has entrusted to you.

Don’t focus on how much someone else has been given. Focus on faithfully using what God has given you.

Why? Because I have found that comparison only produces discouragement and paralysis.

Faithfulness matters more than comparison.

You have been entrusted with something, and joy is found in using it!