I started off this morning wishing that I could put make-up on like my friends Sarah and Rose, wishing that I could draw landscapes like this amazing artist I saw on Instagram, wishing I could write like my favorite authors.
When I think of skills I have, they often don't feel tangible. I'm not an amazing artist and I'm not publishing books left and right. Sometimes working with all the numbers on my budget makes me want to pull my hair out one strand by one strand, and it doesn't energize me like it does my friend Bethany.
I've been sitting in Panera's for 5 hours - planning a girls' retreat, mapping out a Maine road trip, typing notes and ideas up for a local afterschool program, working on my budget, texting and connecting with people, standing by Panera's coffee stand talking with Mr. Franklin Roosevelt Hatcher - a delightful older man who made me smile with his talk of Jesus and his 27-year-old grandson that I would "be a perfect woman for."
And as I sit here working, I know what I am good at. I am great at interacting with people and making them smile. I am great at organizing events and delegating tasks and managing people. I am good at dreaming big, but I am also able to sit down and map out the steps needed.
I am reminded of the parable of the talents in Matthew 25 - and even though the talents referred to in the parable is money, the principle applies to talents and skills we have as well.
The Parable of the Talents - Matthew 25
14 “For it is just like a man going on a journey. He called his own slaves and turned over his possessions to them. 15 To one he gave five talents; to another, two; and to another, one—to each according to his own ability. Then he went on a journey. Immediately 16 the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. 17 In the same way the man with two earned two more. 18 But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. Look, I’ve earned five more talents.’
21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’
22 “Then the man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. Look, I’ve earned two more talents.’
23 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’
24 “Then the man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a difficult man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.’
26 “But his master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy slave! If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, 27 then you should have deposited my money with the bankers. And when I returned I would have received my money back with interest.
28 “‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has 10 talents. 29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 30 And throw this good-for-nothing slave into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
In the end, it doesn't matter what specific skills we are gifted with, as long as we are using them. If I am so focused on what I'm not good at, I am not effectively using the skills God has given me. One of the coolest things about using what we've been given is that as we use them, we often grow and gain more skills! It's like a return on investment - the more you invest into a skill or talent, the higher the profitability or return that you gain. For example, I've found that the more I take time to write, the more ideas that naturally flow into me. The more I smile at people, the more people that smile back!
I am ending my time at Panera's content with who God made me and thankful for the opportunities I am given on a daily basis. The sun is streaming in on my face and I can't help but smile at my little corner of the world.
It is easy to get in a funk about all that we are not, but there are steps you can take to refocus on who God created you to be!
When I think of skills I have, they often don't feel tangible. I'm not an amazing artist and I'm not publishing books left and right. Sometimes working with all the numbers on my budget makes me want to pull my hair out one strand by one strand, and it doesn't energize me like it does my friend Bethany.
I've been sitting in Panera's for 5 hours - planning a girls' retreat, mapping out a Maine road trip, typing notes and ideas up for a local afterschool program, working on my budget, texting and connecting with people, standing by Panera's coffee stand talking with Mr. Franklin Roosevelt Hatcher - a delightful older man who made me smile with his talk of Jesus and his 27-year-old grandson that I would "be a perfect woman for."
And as I sit here working, I know what I am good at. I am great at interacting with people and making them smile. I am great at organizing events and delegating tasks and managing people. I am good at dreaming big, but I am also able to sit down and map out the steps needed.
I am reminded of the parable of the talents in Matthew 25 - and even though the talents referred to in the parable is money, the principle applies to talents and skills we have as well.
The Parable of the Talents - Matthew 25
14 “For it is just like a man going on a journey. He called his own slaves and turned over his possessions to them. 15 To one he gave five talents; to another, two; and to another, one—to each according to his own ability. Then he went on a journey. Immediately 16 the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. 17 In the same way the man with two earned two more. 18 But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. Look, I’ve earned five more talents.’
21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’
22 “Then the man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. Look, I’ve earned two more talents.’
23 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’
24 “Then the man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a difficult man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.’
26 “But his master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy slave! If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, 27 then you should have deposited my money with the bankers. And when I returned I would have received my money back with interest.
28 “‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has 10 talents. 29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 30 And throw this good-for-nothing slave into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
In the end, it doesn't matter what specific skills we are gifted with, as long as we are using them. If I am so focused on what I'm not good at, I am not effectively using the skills God has given me. One of the coolest things about using what we've been given is that as we use them, we often grow and gain more skills! It's like a return on investment - the more you invest into a skill or talent, the higher the profitability or return that you gain. For example, I've found that the more I take time to write, the more ideas that naturally flow into me. The more I smile at people, the more people that smile back!
I am ending my time at Panera's content with who God made me and thankful for the opportunities I am given on a daily basis. The sun is streaming in on my face and I can't help but smile at my little corner of the world.
It is easy to get in a funk about all that we are not, but there are steps you can take to refocus on who God created you to be!
- Give grace to yourself. Remember - you are a work in progress!
- List the things you are good at and be thankful for them!
- Identify one way you are using a talent or skill you have to encourage people around you!
- Be purposeful in telling your friends what you appreciate about them!
"By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that wasn't there before."
The perfect work in progress picture that is on the wall
behind me in Panera's!
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