You've Got Talent

The first thing I'd like to say, is, this is my take on the book of Proverbs, one of the Wisdom books.  Now let us visualize our church as Wife, next visualize Jesus the Christ as the bridegroom who is married to the church, which is, you and me.  Now let us change some of the words of the "Ode to a Capable Wife."

How do we find a capable wife?  She is more precious than jewels.  Do we understand who we are? as wife, as church?

The heart of her husband, this is Jesus the Christ who trusts in her, He trusts us and He will have no lack of gain.  He gives generously because He is the Lord of abundance.  So too she gives generously.  She does Him good and not harm, all the days of her life.  She does nothing to embarrass Him.  She works with her willing hands in order to provide for her household and for those in need.  She opens her hands to the poor and the needy and she is not afraid of Winter as she and her family shares their clothing with them.  She has a good sense of humor and laughs joyfully.  She speaks with wisdom and teaches kindness.  Her children perceive her as happy, her husband too and He praises her.



Many women have done excellently but you surpass them all.  Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain.  Lying and beauty are not necessary to gain the kingdom of God.
I am quite sure each of us can name some people we admire, people whom honor God with their lives.  Each of us has been given a talent:  each of us needs to discover what it is.  Some of us find it early in life and others much later.  Some never have a chance to find it.
The parable this morning implies that we are given many gifts (A talent in Jesus' time was worth about a million dollars)   How we find them is how we use the gifts we know we have.  We all have the gifts of Knowledge, Understanding, Wisdom, Piety, Good Counsel, Courage and Fear of the Lord.  These gifts are the most important because they are priceless.   These are the ones that if you don't use them, you lose them.  Jesus reminds us that at some point in our lives we all need to transfer our focus from what ever else entices us in order to build up the kingdom of God.  If we bury our lives in idle pursuits, and our heads in the sand, we will wind up like the third servant.  Our talents are to be shared, not buried.  As we grow in the knowledge and love of God, our service becomes more sincere and generous resulting in our becoming more aware of the fruits of Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Modesty, Goodness, Faith, Mildness and Self Control. 

The two servants used their gifts and doubled what they had, their love for the Master was their gift to Him.  In return they received ETERNAL LIFE.
YOU'VE GOT TALENT!  USE IT!

Deacon R. D. Lemay