You are talented.
Before you shake your head, deny those words, and click the little red X on this page, let me ask you a question.
Do you remember the parable of the three servants who were given different amounts of talents?
I’ve been thinking about it recently, this story Jesus tells in Matthew 25. The short version is this: Before leaving, a master gave three servants different amounts of money. Upon his return, they were to give the money (called “talents”) back to the master. Two of the servants chose to invest while the third servant dug a hole in the ground and hid the money.
At the time, a “talent” was a coin. But if we think of that word as a skill or a gifting, then I am, embarrassingly, quick to act like the third servant.
I come alive through the written word. The talent He gave that brings me joy is the same thing that has the power to glorify Him as I encourage others.
And yet, I wrote online for years before telling a single soul. He gave me a gift and I pushed it down, burying it in the sand, certain that was the safer option. I kept quiet, shrugged my shoulders, and came up with one hundred reasons why that was okay. Instead of using what He gave and offering it back to Him, I told myself someone else would say it better, write it better, do it better than I ever could.
Years have passed and times have changed. I’ve published a book and learned to write (and share!) the vulnerable truths that stir inside — even when my hands shake as my stomach tosses and turns. But I’m still practicing, each and every day, how to walk in obedience instead of reaching for a shovel.
Sometimes this looks like saying “yes” no matter how scared silly I am.
Sometimes it looks like saying “no” and trusting He won’t keep me from something that is for my good and His glory.
But it always, without fail, looks like keeping my eyes on Him as I faithfully take the next step and leave the end result in His hands.
It’s interesting that when the master returned, both of the servants who invested their talents had double the amount to present. By investing and using what they were given, the talents themselves grew. One servant went from five talents to ten. The other went from two to four.
And, amazingly, because they each did the best they could with what they were given, they received the same reply.
“Well done, good and faithful servant! . . . Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21 CSB)
The numbers weren’t important.
It isn’t about Twitter followers or email subscribers or stacking up a pile of speaking invitations or getting a book deal. It isn’t about having a post written in vulnerable obedience go viral.
It’s about taking what we are given and bravely daring to use our talents.
It’s about not burying a gift deep down inside for safe-keeping but instead wading into the deep with open hands.
It’s about faith and obedience, not about our status or reputation or how many Facebook friends we have.
It’s about believing what has been entrusted to our care is of importance and therefore is worth sharing and using.
You aren’t responsible for your sister’s talents. I’m not responsible for yours and you aren’t responsible for mine. You don’t have to do the work of someone with five talents if you’ve been given two, but you’re called and entrusted to be faithful with your two.
Maybe, just maybe, your talent — your gifting — is your story. Maybe believing that your story matters and then bravely daring to share what God has done and what He is teaching you is one way to offer glory back to Him.
Maybe it’s singing or art, listening or writing, speaking or cooking. You might have the gift of discernment or an extra dose of humor. I don’t know what God has given you, but I know He’s given you something and it’s meant to be shared. The success of your ministry isn’t dependent on the size of your ministry, so let’s look past the numbers and focus instead on obedience.
You don’t have to be the best. You don’t need to win it all or rank at the top. Just be you. Come alive. Be generous with your story.
You were gifted with talents. Don’t hide. Don’t play the humble card as you bury your God-given gift in the sand.
Play your note. Sing your song. Write your story. Make your art. Don’t look right or left, just do your thing bravely.
It will come at a cost, surely. It will likely twist and pull at your heartstrings and keep you up at night. It might scare you silly. But one day not too long from now, these words will echo into eternity and every ounce of all you’ve given back to Him will be worth it one-hundred-times over:
“Well done, good and faithful servant! . . . Come and share your master’s happiness!”
Leave a Comment
Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Kaitlyn,
In the writing world, one of the “buzz words” is “playform” (as you well know). Not only is it focused on what you write about, but it’s about the numbers. How many readers does you blog reach?, how many page views?, how many subscribers?, are you published?, if so where and how often? It’s a numbers game that can be a writer’s undoing. God, however, says (at least to me), “Write to an audience of One….Me.” I write to God. I preach to myself. I just allow others to listen in, but whatever I do, be it mediocre or brilliant, I give the glory to God. In Him I move and breathe and have my being. I agree, Kaitlyn, that He is the giver of ALL good gifts and talents. He doesn’t want them buried. He wants them used to His glory and delight. Thanks for following His lead to write. Well done good and faithful servant 🙂
Blessings,
Bev xx
Jas says
Bev, are you able to post/share the document that helps to allow the finding of ‘your’ my gift? I remember years ago you shared it on a post here at incourage but I could not find which one it was. I understand there are probably ones to help on the Internet but I trust you and here in this space that it would be a God given tool to help me quantify/locate/decide what gift I may have also with a lot of prayer too x
Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Jas,
Here is the link to a spiritual assessment “test” that I have found to be pretty reliable. Obviously, after reading it over, being in prayer that God would reveal His spiritual giftedness to you is the best path to follow:file:///C:/Users/Bev%20Rihtarchik/Downloads/DOC-Spiritual-Gifts-List.pdf this describes the list of gifts given by the Holy Spirit. This second doc is a survey to help you discern what your gift(s) are: file:///C:/Users/Bev%20Rihtarchik/Downloads/DOC-Spiritual-Gifts-Survey%20(1).pdf
Keep in mind the Spiritual Gifts given to believers by the Holy Spirit are different than talents. For example, I believe I possess the Spiritual Gifts of Exhortation (Encouragement) and Mercy. I express those Spiritual Gifts through talents like writing and I even view writing handwritten notes of encouragement as a “talent or gift”…..besides I see it as a way I can serve the body. I also believe that God can change our Spiritual Giftedness for seasons in our lives. Whatever He calls us to….He will equip us. That is for certain. I hope this helps. Remember that ALL believers have Spiritual Gifts and we use our talents to express and serve in those areas.
Blessings,
Bev xx
Jas Wilson says
Thanks Bev! Will definitely pray but this is somewhere to start! Xx
Cynthia says
Love this Bev. Write to One…now THAT I can do! Always love seeing your words in this space. Have the most beautiful day.
Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Thanks Cynthia….you too!!
Bev xx
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
Oh yes, don’t I know it! Especially as an author and Virtual Assistant. But like you, God keeps pointing me back to the seemingly small, encouraging me to walk faithfully in the “ordinary.” And that looks like using the gifts He’s given! You certainly have the gift of encouragement.
Donna says
Bev, I could use that as well. I am almost retirement age and still haven’t a clue what my talent is or if I even have one…. .
Thanks so much.
Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Donna,
See my response to Jas above. Let me encourage you that I just now feel like I am coming into the sweet spot of really using my Spiritual Gifts to edify others and glorify God and I’m headed toward 60. In my younger years as a believer, I had Spiritual gifts but I don’t think I always used them with the right motivation. Sometimes wisdom that comes with experience is a great teacher. Check out my answer to Jas and links listed above. If you are a believer, you are blessed with Spiritual Gift(s)…guaranteed!
Blessings,
Bev xx
Donna says
Bev, thank you. I am a believer that had very little growth for many years. God sent an evangelist to my church earlier this year that really woke me up to striving to grow and be all God wants me to be. He has ALWAYS been faithful even when I have not.
April says
Hi Bev – thank you for sharing the spiritual gifts assessments. Unfortunately, I am unable to
Open them as it says they are local files. I am very curious about what my spiritual gifts are in this season of my life. Thank you!
Bev @ Walking Well With God says
April,
Try this:
https://www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_MYCS_030526_Spiritual_Gifts_Survey.pdf
Hope this gets you where you need to go 🙂
Bev xx
Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Oops…..platform. Obviously, I hadn’t had enough coffee yet lol.
Bev
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
I love seeing this thread here between y’all!
Michele Morin says
It’s true: it’s the “looking to the right or to the left” that always ends up leading me toward feelings of inadequacy and away from gratitude. Thank for this call to embrace the given, to rejoice in the opportunities that come, and to lean into the “talent” that is in my hand.
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
I’m glad to see you here today, Michele. Yes… I think comparison is a game that, in the end, no one wins.
Jas says
Thank you very much needed post tonight, really spoke to me straight from God through your words! I’d say that’s more important and a fantastic gift than any amount of likes, numbers etc! Thank you again for sharing!
Jas x
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
Thank you, Jas, for your kind words here. 🙂
Laurie Brady says
So truly needed this today Kaitlyn! Thank you for sharing your gift to motive us to use ours to glorify the Lord. Have a blessed day.
Linda Esquibel says
Thanks for sharing. I need to get my head out of the sand and write. I do write for God, and I do publish to my site, but that’s about all I do. So, I hear what you’re saying.
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
Keep going! Keep writing! It matters.
Brenda says
Well said, Kaitlyn. Thank you. ♥
Racheljoy says
Lovely words! What an encouragement to be faithful with what we have, big or small!
Lynn says
I’ll be tucking this post in a special place, not hidden, but exposed as a reminder of how God’s blessing on us is to use our gifts! Lately He seems to be whispering the word “ownership” to me–to take ownership of what He’s given me, and steward it instead of selfishly hiding for my own self protection. Sometimes our attempts can seem like they have failed, yet God knows every one of our past, current, and future steps so never can we fail when we keep looking to Him, and seek to be His faithful servant!
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
Lynn, I love that even in your comment you made a point to say “not hidden.”
Lara Sadowski says
Greetings and Happy Monday, Kaitlyn!
“The success of your ministry isn’t dependent on the size of your ministry, so let’s look past the numbers and focus instead on obedience.”
Boy, did I need to hear this awesome post this morning. I have gotten caught up in worrying about how many people read my posts than focusing on my most important audience: God. I pray my words or drawings or speeches will be pleasing to Him, and I further pray that the talent He freely gave to me can help someone else.
“Well done, good and faithful servant! . . . Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21 CSB) May this verse be the words I pray I hear from My Lord each day.
Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow!
Joy in Jesus,
Lara
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
I’m thankful to know these words encouraged you today, Lara. I return to them often myself!
Cynthia says
Convicted, convicted, convicted (in the best way!) by this. Thank you Kaitlyn for this encouragement wrapped up in a little bit of a kick in the pants. Just what I needed to read this morning. All the blessings and all the things are prayed for you today! ❤️
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
You are so welcome, Cynthia – and thank you for the prayers!
Melissa Ens says
“You were gifted with talents. Don’t hide. Don’t play the humble card as you bury your God-given gift in the sand.”
Ah, yes. Humility does not equal hiding. Humility equals being real and vulnerable and allowing God’s glory and power to shine both in and through our weaknesses AND our strengths. Odd that we are so easily tempted to try and hide them both.
Thanks, Kaitlyn, for this reminder. It’s timely for me.
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
That’s a good point, Melissa… we can hide both. I’ll be thinking about that today.
Sue Donaldson says
We can excel at playing the humble card whilst getting better at shoveling. Great post, Kaitlyn – you live what you write, which is always the best.
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
Thank you… that’s such a kind compliment and I pray that it’s true.
kim says
Haha! Kaitlyn…. I read the first words and rolled my eyes and almost closed the page…. but then kept going! So glad I did. We need the encouragement as we seek to honor the One who gives us life. The One who gave us His breath. The One who will ever be Our Father – proud of us no matter how small we feel our gifts might be. Thank you for a beautiful reminder to stay focused on Him through it all!
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
Ha! I included that sentence because I knew it would be my first reaction, too. 🙂 Glad you kept reading!
Donna says
Kaitlyn,
‘You were gifted with talents. Don’t hide. Don’t play the humble card as you bury your God-given gift in the sand.‘ You are so blessed that you know your talents. And so encouraging to me by giving me hope that mine is there. Somewhere. I pray that I haven’t buried mine and immediately think I can’t bury what I don’t know I have.
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
It is most certainly there. And to be clear, I didn’t always consider it a gift or a talent… it took several years, many friends speaking truth, and time in Scripture and prayer. And I still fight to keep from burying it. 🙂 We’re all learning together!
Donna says
Thank you so much for your reply! It’s great to know that with prayer and asking God to reveal my talent, I will know what it is and how He wants me to use it.
Aixa says
This post resonated with me today, Kaitlyn. I recently started writing again and there are people in my circle of influence that don’t know I write… Funny thing is I just wrote about purpose, gifts, and talents so reading this post today really challenges me to reach out a little further. Thank you!
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
Perfect timing! Keep writing. 🙂
Jasmine says
I am blessed with multiple talents. I can sing solos or in a choir, I can play 2 musical instruments by ear. I am also very gifted in writing. I am also fairly good a drawing and am very creative. However, many times I have had church leaders try to squelch my talents. They will not let me use them to the fullest. They say I am dishonoring God and taking praise upon my self, which I most certainly am not. I give God all the praise. Meanwhile, others in the church (the favorites) are highly praised and asked to share their “”gifts”” while I am made to just sit quietly in the corner. My gifts are constantly squelched. And I cannot go up against the church leaders. They rule everything ya know. ;(
I am currently in a church that does not do this to me and I am very happy to share the multiple gifts that God has blessed me with. However, this church is in the process of closing. There is a new church that I have been going to Bible study at, however, they treat me the same way as the bad churches have. Everyone at Bible study gets a chance to speak their thoughts and everyone politely listens to them. But when it is my turn, the leaders are constantly looking at their watches and then begin to talk over me so they can continue on the study. They only do this to me, and I don’t even talk that long. Other people talk way longer than I do and no one rushes them.
How can I share my gifts when the leaders of the church constantly loom over me and dim the light that God has placed within me?
Rebecca Jones says
We all have to take leaps of faith, don’t we?
Pearl Allard says
Kaitlyn, this is so beautifully worded! Thank you for such an encouraging message to use our talents. This is the very truth that gave me courage to plunge forward despite my fears, and it’s always good to be reminded!
Darlene says
Obedience!! I’m so convicted! I heard once that delayed obedience is disobedience. I am trying to get over my lack of faith (in myself, not God) and begin my blog again after a 2 year hiatus. The ideas come, not always coherent, but I still haven’t put pen to paper, so to speak. Thank you for your much-needed encouraging words!
Kaitlyn Bouchillon says
I’ve heard that before, too. Good luck to you as you “put pen to paper.” Every small step is still a step. As Lara Casey says, little by little progress adds up.
Helena Davies says
Thanks Kaitlyn for your encouragement. So easy to bury our God given talent under a mound of false humility.
Jen Fletcher says
Kaitlyn, I love that you shared this!! I came alive when I realized writing was a talent the Lord gifted me with and I started sharing it. I am so scared when I hit publish (this past week was one of the most vulnerable posts I’ve ever written). But, an interesting thing seems to happen. The scariest ones are the ones that so many people relate to. And it is just my story. Sharing our stories is such a beautiful and raw way to build connections to each other.
I also agree that everyone has been given talents just waiting to be awakened and used for the Lord. It’s exciting to think about and I pray for bravery for God’s women to realize how amazing they truly are.
Becky Keife says
Oh Kaitlyn, “walk in obedience instead of reaching for a shovel” — that right there is a litmus test of our trust in the Lord I want to hold on to.
Love the way you’re encouraging our hearts to bravely, joyfully use what God has entrusted to our care. xx
Beth Williams says
Kaitlyn,
You hit the nail on the head. God wants us to use our talents. He can take the effort & double the outcome. I don’t like getting in front of crowds.The music person at church asked me to do sign language for special music. It was scary for me at first The more I do it, the more comfortable I have become. I see it enhancing others worship. God has seen to bless me with a gifting/talent to care for elderly. I cook meals & visit them. I want to be an obedient servant. Doing His will even in the smallest things like helping out in arts & crafts for camp-I’m not crafty at all. I want to hear the words “Well done thou good & faithful servant.”
Blessings 🙂
Traci says
Thank you Kaitlyn! I’m currently writing my little heart out for God as He has revealed to me my gift of writing. I feel it’s my purpose;His calling for me. I’m trying to get a blog launched but I’m starting from ground zero with no clue where to begin but the one discouraging thing I keep hearing is building a platform and having the numbers is what matters. I needed to read this tonight because prior to this discouragement I’m feeling, my thoughts were…”if I could just encourage even one person in this life it would be worth it to use the talent God’s given me.” So I’m replacing the numbers game thoughts with writing for One instead. He’ll direct how far I go and who I reach. I needed this! Thank you again!
Susan Bricker says
I loved this Kaitlyn! Your words spoke straight to my heart. You write so beautifully! I love the journey the Lord has been leading you on to share your gift! It and you are a blessing!