The great brotherhood of God’s people is so blessed to have talented members. Every congregation is blessed with people of notable ability. When all of God’s children pool their talents and use them together, regardless of the level of their abilities, great things can be done in the Kingdom for the glory of our God!

Having a certain talent is potentially a great thing, but the simple possession of an ability is no guarantee that the possessor will be a faithful servant of Jesus. We may observe a brother in the Lord and be moved to say, "He is so talented." If he is, then to God be the glory. If he has great abilities, then the Lord has truly blessed him. What is this talented brother doing with those talents?

In the past few months I have been reading a book entitled "Talent Is Never Enough." It is not about being a Christian, but the title of the book is a great thought for many walks of life, would you not agree? We know that in the world of sports, it is not always the most talented team or individual that wins. If the most talented always won, then there would be no point in having the competition, would there? We know that in athletics, a person or team’s preparation, emotions, health, motivation, and other factors can often influence the outcome of the competition just as much as talent does. The same is true in other areas of life as well. It is not always the best painter that comes up with the most admired painting, the best salesperson that sells the most products, or the most talented dentist that does the best work in every instance. There can be other factors in addition to one’s talent level that keep him from using his talents or producing the best results. Or, in more common language, we might say, "It’s good to have talent, but talent ain’t everything."

So, "He is so talented." Does he boast about what he can do well, as if he were someone great, or does he humbly accept the ability with which the Lord has blessed him and praise Him for it? Talent is great, but a person’s attitude toward his talent(s) is also important, right?

Again, all admit that "He is so talented," but does he use his talent(s)? It is one thing to possess an ability, but another thing entirely to use it. Some Christians may have great ability, but for some reason(s) beyond their control, they have not yet been given the opportunity to use it. This can be disheartening to them, especially young brothers and sisters, and can cause good people to bury their talent or even lose interest in the work of the Kingdom. While we should never try to justify one losing interest in the Lord’s work, at the same time the leaders in each congregation ought to be making an effort to give each member of the church opportunities to have a part in the ongoing activities of the church and make use of their talent(s). A young person, new convert, or "backup" worker can only be told so many times, "Your time will come, just be patient," before they become discouraged or look elsewhere for the chance to use their abilities.

On the other hand, there are other children of God who have a specific talent, and they do have a chance to us it, but they currently choose not to. They may even tell us that they will use it someday. You and I know, though, that with some folks, someday never seems to come. No one is preventing them from using their talent, but they have somehow convinced themselves that using it in the work of the Kingdom is not the thing to do right now. Maybe they feel that they are too busy with the affairs of life (making a living, raising kids, etc.). Perhaps they got their feelings hurt by something that a preacher or elder said to or about them. It might be the case that they are thinking that they will keep developing their talent on their own, and then when they have reached their maximum level, then boom, they will put it to good use.

Brother or sister, please stop right there. Please quit making excuses for your failure to use the ability that God has placed in your hands. "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might" (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Some of the saints who are most effective at making hospital visits or visiting saints that need encouragement, seldom make such visits. Their talent is being wasted, and they fail to encourage the downtrodden like they know they should (James 4:17). Some of the best Bible class teachers in the church rarely, if ever, teach. They sit on the sidelines. Why? Only God knows for sure. Jehovah makes it plain that if you and I a fail to use our talents in the spiritual realm, then He is not pleased with us (Matthew 25:14-30). Some of the brothers that could serve as effective deacons refuse to take on the responsibility, not because they cannot, but because they will not. Yes, many local churches can truthfully say, "This congregation is loaded with talent." To be honest about it, however, some of those same churches must also admit, "We have the talent alright, but it is not being put to good use." Is Union Grove such a church?

Let us take a look at a few questions related to talent. Can a person’s ability to do something be reduced or lost completely? Yes. Sometimes a person’s ability to do a certain thing decreases due to his/her declining health. But, it is also true that a person can lose part or all of his/her ability to do something simply by a lack of exercising it. In some cases, the Lord may remove opportunities from a person who refuses to use what He has blessed him/her with. Do you remember the one-talent fellow who had his talent taken away? (Matthew 25:26-29)

If a person has a talent that is sharable, should he/she try to share it with others? You had better believe it. For instance, when it comes to brothers that lead singing, without any fear that someone else will become better at it than they are, the better-equipped leaders ought to make their best effort to train others to lead singing. The same can be said for teachers, writers of cards, those that do maintenance work around the church building, or whatever. If it is our sincere desire to do whatever we can to strengthen the body of the Christ, if we have a particular ability that is sharable, then by all means, let us work to "pass it around" to other faithful soldiers. We should not be jealous over our area of service, looking suspiciously at others as if they were some kind of threat to us, when, in fact, they simply want to develop and use their talents for the good of God’s Cause.

Does the possession of talent guarantee the quality of a person’s character? That is, does great talent necessarily mean that one is a great person? Not at all. Through the years, in our society those with exceptional ability have been labeled as "heroes" or "great" people. In the sight of Jehovah, being "a good man" (like Barnabas, Acts 11:24), has nothing to do with a person’s physical or intellectual talents. Parents, we send the wrong message when we praise a child with natural intellectual or athletic abilities, but we fail to speak words of support for those kids that do their best in life and faithfully serve the Lord. Think about it. The New Testament does not give an ounce of evidence to the idea that somehow being a good athlete or brainy student makes you a better person.

When we think of talent, Absalom, the son of David, was a man with leadership ability. However, he used it for selfish interests and not for the benefit of his family or nation. Many there are today in the Lord’s body who have talents galore, yet they do not set their hearts on things above (Colossians 3:1,2). A slew of talented saints live a life that is more conformed to the ways of the world than the pattern of Jesus (Romans 12:1,2). No, being a person with talent and being faithful to the Lord do not necessarily go hand in hand.

Should a talented member of the church be used in some leadership capacity if he/she is not putting the Lord first or is not steadfast in His service? Surely we can see the need to use as public Bible class teachers those who are "a pattern of good works" (Titus 2:7). Talent does not offset poor behavior and its consequences. God also requires that those who lead in prayer (in worship in general) be those that truthfully have holy or clean hands (1 Timothy 2:8). No, a talented brother or sister should not be placed in any position of authority or public service if they are not putting the Lord first (Matthew 6:33) or in any other way are not walking faithfully.

Does the lack of special talent mean that a child of God cannot please the Master? In the Parable of the Talents, the two-talent and one-talent man had just as much potential to please their master as the five-talent man did. In fact, the master praised the two-talent man, calling him a "good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21). Remember this: we are not in competition with other Christians. I should not be concerned about whether or not I do something better or worse than others. Rather, I need to take my ability, whatever it is, and use it for God’s glory and His church.

People have various talents or abilities. Barnabas was a great exhorter (Acts 4:36; 11:23). Dorcas was skilled at making clothing. She "was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did" (Acts 9:36). This sister was not only full of good works, but she actually carried out those good works. What about you, brother or sister? What is it that you do best? You and I are not required to be a specialist in anything. The Lord simply wants us to use our abilities, whether they be many or few, great or small. "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men" (Colossians 3:23).

-- Roger D. Campbell