"To one he gave five talents. . .to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability" (Matthew 25:15).
If we who claim to be Christian would claim the dormant power sealed within us and exercise whatever talents and gifts God has graced us with and then use them for God and others, just think of the revolution that would take place on this earth! God never intended for any of us to be unsuccessful. In fact, He called us to be bright lights and preserving salt and people who serve.
Elbert Hubbard, a very successful man, described a successful person as one who tries, not cries; who works, not dodges; who shoulders responsibilities, not evades them; who gets under the burden instead of standing off, looking on, and giving advice. Charles Kingsley said: "The men whom I have seen succeed best in life have always been cheerful and hopeful men, who went about their business with a smile on their faces, and took the changes and chances of this mortal life like men, facing rough and smooth alike as it came."
The following is a ladder of success:
0%-I won't;
10%-I can't;
20%-I don't know how;
30%-I wish I could;
40%-What is it?;
50%-I think I might;
60%-I might;
70%-I think I can;
80%-I can;
90%-I will;
100%-I did.
Someone commented that success is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. Together that gives us the 100% of "I did." We moan that we have no talent and opportunities when it is perseverance and concentration we need.
"Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best" (Henry Van Dyke). The birds don't worry about which of them sings best, either; they just do what is natural for them. Instead of worrying about others' talents, let us thank God for our own and get on with using them, for what we don't use, we soon lose.
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