Lord, Do I Bury or Multiply My Talents?

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Each one of us is gifted.  That is a fact. Long before we were born, God implanted in us an inherent ability - skill - talent that is ours and ours alone. I do not get sold to people saying, "I do not have any talent" referring to dancing or singing or drawing because God, in all His profound wisdom, made sure that we all are given our share of talents, skills and abilities because through these, we are able to go go about our roles as humans --- to fulfill our ministry in this world.

Some people are good dancers. Very good in fact, that every time they move their bodies, they captivate their audience as their unified movements tell stories and permeate with raw emotions.  No words are needed when dancers sway and move their hands and hips because all that is necessary is movement. That is talent. While everyone can move to the beat, not everyone are born dancers. God made each of our skills and talents different because if everyone had the same ability, there would be monotony.

There are a few others who are gifted with good singing voices.  In the Philippine islands where the videoke machine is  popular, we hear a lot of informal concerts everywhere.  Many of the performers can sing in tune, but only a few of them are good singers. To sing is to relay a message through voice and music.  To sing is to connect emotionally to the audience.  To sing is more than just having a good singing voice and not singing out of tune  because singing needs to move the emotions and satiate the senses.  

And then there are so many other talents and abilities not mentioned.  There are eloquent speakers, prolific writers, pacifying counselors, designers, cooks, arrangers and many more. There really is a share for everyone because God made sure of that.  

But some of us are trapped in this question:  Lord, do I bury or multiply my talents?"

I see people whose talents are buried.  They say they do not have any, but in reality, they haven't really tapped into their inner selves to really see what they are capable of doing. Perhaps, these people didn't have someone who believed in their abilities when they were younger because they do not have the confidence to show what they've got. As what Catriona Gray stated, she became what she has become because someone believed in her.

Personally, I know God gifted me with much. I may be one of the lucky few who can sing and write quite well, but I knew what I can do because my teachers believed in me.  I knew I could write when my Journalism teacher in high school gave me A+'s in my write ups.  I knew I could sing when, after performances, I got congratulated for a job well done and heard the audience's positive remarks.  I got encouraged.

There are a lot of hidden talents out there. A lot of wasted talents that should have been showcased in the world.  While I could not say that they chose to not expose it, some have been traumatized to even show themselves in front of other people because they may have experienced negativities in the past. While too many talented people have been catapulted to fame and fortune through their talents, there are more people out there who have more than the abilities these famous people possess --- only that their talents are kept hidden.

So I ask, Lord, do I bury  or multiply my talents?

The answer is apparent.  In more than 5 years, I kept my writing at bay, occasionally reviving my blogs when I feel like it, but in 2020, I vow to use whatever talent God bestowed in me.  If it helps me pay my bills, good, but if not, at least God will not tell me "But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth"