Photo illustration by Phil Younk
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Use your talents to serve others
Based on Prv 31: 10-13, 19020, 30-31; 1 Thes 5:1-6; Mt 25:14-30
Remember Ebenezer Scrooge, the miser in “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens?
A miser is a stingy person and who loves money for its own sake – just like the man Jesus talks about in the Gospel who buries the coin (called a talent) his master gave him to multiply.
In Jesus’ parable (story), talents were large amounts of money that a man gave to his servants to multiply while he was away.
Actually, the parable is about something much more valuable than money – the many personal talents (abilities, skills and things we can do well) God has lovingly and freely given to us. One talent, two talents or five talents – it makes no difference. No follower of Jesus is without some talent. Each of us, in some way, can love and serve Jesus by serving and reaching out to others and spreading his love to his world.
What are your talents? Are you a good reader? Are you good at math? Are you especially good in art, music or sports? Do you like to help Dad repair things around the house? Do you like to help Mom with cooking and baking? Are you a computer whiz? Do you have a cheerful personality? Do you like to help people, especially when they’re sick? Do you always play fair?
Our talents are valuable and shouldn’t be wasted. God wants us to use our talents to lovingly serve others. It doesn’t matter whether our talents help do big, important things or small, not-so-important things. Everything we do for others helps them.
Remember, a young boy once gave Jesus his bag lunch. He surely didn’t think five loaves of bread and two fish could help a whole lot. But Jesus used it to feed thousands of people (Jn 6:9-13)! God can do much with just a little. He wants us to use our talents to spread his love and he wants to work through us. We need to be generous and give them to him. Miracles still happen!
