I Only Have One Talent, What Do I Do?

We live in a world full of talented people. In previous decades, the talented people that surround us were hidden due to a limited number of outlets to display their unique abilities. However, with the advent of social media giants like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and yes, TikTok, this world has been overloaded with video after video of amazing accomplishments. Our feeds are flooded with incredible displays of strength, athleticism, comedy, dancing, singing, fighting, cooking, running, landscaping, building, eating, traveling...and the list could go on forever. We see gifted people doing amazing things multiple times each day which could leave us feeling inadequate. 

Have you ever wondered, “Why does it seem like other people are more talented than me?”

“Why am I not as talented as others?”

“Why do they have more gifts than me?”

“What should I do when I feel like I am not as talented as others?”

If you have ever wondered these thoughts, one, you are not alone; and two, Jesus told an incredible parable to help us understand the bigger picture and our responsibility in light of our situation. 

In Matthew 25, Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a man going on a long trip. Before he left, he called his servants to him and gave them different “talents” (sums of money) based on their ability. To the first, he gave five. To the second, he gave two. To the last, he gave one. Then, the master left for his trip.

As soon as the master left, the first two servants immediately took the money and traded to gain more, each doubling that which was given to them originally. However, the last servant who was given one talent went away, dug hole, and buried his master’s money. 

When the master returns, he honors the first two servants for their good work, grants them more responsibility, and allows them to enter into his joy or kingdom; but, when the third servant reveals that he did nothing with the money because of fear, the master calls him “wicked” and “lazy”. Ultimately, this servant is thrown out into “outer darkness”.

This story has many different elements that could be addressed, but I want to focus on one main point: our responsibility with what we have been given is to be faithful. Although there were differing amounts of talents given out, the responsibility of each servant was the same: faithfulness. The first two servants were faithful, but the third servant was not. The first two servants were rewarded, but the third servant was punished.

Likewise, our master, Jesus, is the man who has been on a long trip. He left this earth 2000 years ago, and He will return one day soon as He promised. No one knows when, yet we are called to live conscious of this reality. In Jesus’ absence, His followers have received different gifts or talents that He entrusted to them to grow. Some people have more and some people have less. This is not an issue that is under our own strength. The issue that is under our own strength is how we respond to what we have been given. Jesus is not looking for our abundance of talents but our abundance of faithfulness.

So, if you feel like the man with one talent or the man with five talents, your responsibility is to be faithful to grow what you have been given. If you have a gift to teach, who are you teaching? If you have a gift to help, who are you helping? Our master is returning soon, and He wants to find His servants faithful with that which He has given to us.

My prayer is that God would reveal to you what He has given you, so that you can move in a direction of stewarding that gift in a way that honors and pleases His heart each day. I pray that you would be found faithful as you stand before the Lord at your death or His return, whichever happens first.