Your Gift and You

I used to think that I wish I were some child prodigy at something, anything. At times I used to question why God never gave me that kind of talent and gift. As I've grown older (wiser?), I realize that we have all been given our own gifts. Some of us may have realized at an earlier age than others, but I'm sure in God's eyes it is all the same. We are all like the workers in the vineyard. It doesn't matter when we start, we are all equally talented in God's eyes.

In the book "Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as Pilgrimage of Identity", the author, David Whyte, says, "At its simplest, good work is work that makes sense, and that grants sense and meaning to the one who is doing it and to those affected by it." This, I think, is how we are supposed to use the gifts that God has given us. We're supposed to use it so that it makes sense to us and to those around us. We benefit and so do those around us. It's not meant to be something only one person gains from. Yes, we pay athletes and entertainers millions to do what seems to be God-given talents. But how does their work actually really benefit us after the temporary moment of escape from our own realities? Really. We pay millions to someone who runs around a field, but pay only a mere percentage of that to someone who has dedicated their live to teaching our children, our future. Does this make sense to anyone out there? I like watching movies as much as the next person, but it rarely leads me towards a life-changing experience. The people I work with at the Church and the work I've seen others do to help those in need have been inspiring for me, but they are in an industry that has been deemed to lead to very little, or no, growth. Huh?

So how do we turn what we enjoy most into something that makes sense? I can't say. I think that for each of us it's different. We're all on a different path. I want to respect that in each person I meet. I also want to see how each person I meet has been given a special gift from God. I want to know how to help people use these gifts as a way for doing something that makes sense to themselves and to others. In my case, I think I need to look back at my life and connect the dots.

A very dear friend of mine once told me that she has found the value in looking back. So often we are bombarded with messages of moving forward and not looking back. How are we to get a glimpse of the picture our life is creating when we choose to ignore it? I truly feel that it is in those dots -- or events -- that we will find out what our gifts are and what we're meant to do with them. Unless you're some kind of child prodigy that has been playing the piano since the age of 3, I would imagine that most of us are on the long-term learning route.

The next time you feel tired and grumpy after a long day at work, stop and think if you are using the gifts you think you should be using. I wonder if it will open your eyes to new and wonderful things to do.