Writing My Heart Out

I remember learning about the Parable of the Talents in Sunday School, and being more peeved at the lesson than inspired. "To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability." While they were talking about money in the Bible, it can also represent literal talents as well.

So...God gave me THIS talent, and someone else THAT one? God just gave someone MORE talents, and I'm stuck with just ONE?

I've been rather upset at the fact that I feel as though I've gotten the "lame" talents, while everyone  else has something cool. It seems as though everyone in my family  are wickedly in art, music, mechanics, etc. What am I good at? Writing.

I've felt let down in this department. Why couldn't I have been blessed with athleticism, so I wouldn't embarrass myself in gym? Why couldn't I have been graced with the vocal pipes of Stevie Nicks or Linda Ronstadt (my great-grandmother says I have a nice voice, so I'm holding out on this one)? Why was I stuck with writing? Anyone can write!

Then, I was reading A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer (an excellent book, if you're looking for a read), and the main character felt that not using her talent as a seamstress was a sin, because she was not using her gift that God had given her.

Really? Writing is a gift? And God wants me to use it?

Although I do sometimes wish I had a different talent, writing has been a passion of mine for years. Basically, ever since I learned how to write. I remember being amazed in kindergarten, learning how to write all the words I had already known. I was fascinated that d-o-l-l creates the word "doll," and that I had an image of the word that represented the object, and that I knew how to write it. I've had a notebook and pen glued to me ever since. I've started a hundred or more stories, but never seemed to finish one.

After reading the book, I realized that God did indeed bless me with this gift, and throwing it away would be disgraceful. I realized how much more I can do for God if I wrote for Him. Just like in the parable, where the master was angry at the servant for not utilizing his talents and investing them wisely, certainly God would be angry with me if I didn't utilize my talent to the best of my ability. And I can do so by not only writing a book, but perhaps by writing this blog.

Writing can take me on an amazing adventure. It can take places that teaching wouldn't, and it can give me a great sense of fulfillment and accomplishment. But most of all, it can allow me to glorify God in a way that I've never done before.