6. Talent

"…to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability…After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them…His lord said unto him, well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." - Matthew 25:14-23 (excerpts).

I sometimes have an unhealthy regard for the practicalities of life, and have, in fact, been trained to think this way. For example, as a youngster, I was cautioned by my parents, when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, to choose something that makes me happy, but that being happy should not be the sole standard by which I pick my life's work.

Implicit in this message is the thought that the things that made me happy would not always provide me with the best livelihood. Sometimes, by right of birth and a sort of passive mentoring, I felt as though I was expected to do what my parents did to raise their family. As the years went by, I realized that I might choose to do something because I was good at it, not great, but good, and so this would be the safe choice, regardless of whether or not I enjoyed the work. I might find that I was great at something, but did not enjoy the work at all. However, because I could make a lot of money doing it, that is what I would choose to do with my life.

I often wondered, if I were guaranteed not to fail according to whatever standard of success I subscribed to, what I would try to be or do. Under these conditions, I might reach beyond the practical concerns that I found bound by in selecting my life's work, or think in terms other than economic realities, thereby separating livelihood from talent.

This thought lends a whole other meaning to the parable cautioning us not to hide our talents. In fact, it is likely that many of us will go to our graves never knowing those things that we were best at or would have most enjoyed doing.

If this is true, then the key to a whole life is to explore as widely as possible all possibilities, and so share our gifts with as many people, in as many situations, in as many places as possible.

Open the doors of opportunity to talent and virtue and they will do themselves justice...
–Ralph Waldo Emerson


What talents do you possess that you haven’t explored?