That each of us was created with unique talent cannot be gainsaid. We have world class entertainers that will keep our spirits up when the chips are low with their crooning sweet voices. We have footballers who will amaze us with their equally amazing ball juggling skills. We have artists who have painted intriguing arts pieces, writers who have penned classical literature that have stood the test of time. You have your own inimitable talent that makes you survive this tough and rough world. So, God was not mean with His children. However, sometimes we get mean with ourselves. Ask yourself, are you using that skill God gave you? Are you using it to the satisfaction, making you climb to the pinnacle of success in your life? And for what purpose are you using your talent? Jesus showed us how we can use our talents through the Parable of Talents. In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus narrates about a wealthy man who, before embarking on a journey, entrusted his fortune to his servants for the time he would be away. Two servants prudently used the money to earn income for their master. However, the third servant didn’t put the money to good use and the master was quite displeased, rebuking him in the process and taking away his money. The lessons we can learn from this parable is crystal clear. Everything we have is a gift from God. As 1 Timothy 6:17 says: “All good things are gifts from God.” Just as the two servants made a wise decision to serve their master while he was away, we too should serve our God with the talents he gave us, for the gifts that we receive are not ours alone. God gave them to us for the purpose of serving Him and His people. Pastor James Kalinda of Christian Redeemed Church, kicukiro says that each of us has his or her own unique abilities and talents. “All of us are not wealthy philanthropists or dynamic preachers. However, our contribution to the welfare of mankind is just as important, even if we have to make only a small contribution.” Jesus made the same point in a different way when he spoke to His disciples about a poor widow’s charitable offering in Mark 12:41-44. To reinforce his views, Pastor Kalinda cites the book of Romans 12:15-8 in which Apostle Paul says, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.” But how can we use our God given talents? There are a number of people who have used their talents to set up charities that help the less fortunate and we should emulate their examples. Each of us has something to give. We have all the options available to us: give our time and money to charity, friend someone who’s lonely and sick, do volunteer work. But Peterson Hatizimana of Remera Catholic Church says that even though we are obliged to help those who are poor, the Bible is categorical that the same shouldn’t be extended to a person who’s just being lazy or exploiting kind-hearted relatives. “Such a person is going to gain more when he’s trained and counseled, something that is going to help him get and keep a job,” he says.
