You’re More Than a One-Talent Girl - Girlfriends in God

July 8, 2016
You’re More Than a One-Talent Girl
Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness (2 Peter 1:3 NIV).

Friend to Friend

In my last devotion, we looked at the parable of the talents, or rather the parable of the three choices. We saw a landowner that gave one servant five talents, another servant two talents, and another servant one talent.

As you read that devotion, (and if you didn’t, please click on www.girlfriendsinGod.com and read it first) I wonder if you saw yourself as a one-talent girl. Perhaps you’re thinking that God hasn’t given you much to work with. He did, after all, entrust the servants with talents “according to their ability.” You look at what other folks are doing for God with their five talents and think that yours doesn’t really matter much anyway. Nothing could be further from the truth.

It could be that the servant with the five talents started out with one talent a few years back. The master saw what he did with that one—how he turned it into two. Then when he went on his next trip, the master gave that servant two talents, which he turned into four. So on this particular journey, the master entrusted this servant with five!

If we don’t use what God has given us because of fear, then He will not entrust us with more. It could very well be that He will take away what He’s given us and give it to someone else who has the courage to use her gifts and talents to accomplish her God-given purpose.

There’s always a bit of fear when it comes to taking a step of faith, but step we must! Don’t let the fear win. It’s not worth it.

I always thought a talent was just a few pieces of silver or gold. Boy, was I wrong. In biblical days, a talent referred to the largest unit of currency at the time. It was the heaviest or largest biblical unit of measurement for weight, equal to about 75 pounds or 35 kilograms. The one who possessed five talents of gold or silver was a multimillionaire by today’s standards. Some calculate a talent to be equivalent to twenty years’ wages for the common worker.

So even though the one servant only received one talent or bag of gold, it was still no paltry amount. And again, I’m not turning this into a teaching about money. I don’t think that was what Jesus was doing either. He was teaching us about being good stewards of what God has entrusted us in every area of life.

God will never call you to do something that He will not empower and equip you to do. How sad when we hide what He has entrusted to us because of fear. If you have your talent hidden in the ground, dig it up. Once the landowner in the parable came home, it was too late for that servant with the one talent, but it is not too late for you.

I’m glad that the biblical term for what Jesus was teaching about is called talents. The NIV translates it as “bags of gold.” But when I see the word talents I can better associate it with God-given gifts and abilities. You have been given talents! Even if you think that you have been given only one talent, you have been given one.

Don’t let fear keep you from using what you have. Invest what God has given you in other people, and watch your investment multiply right before your eyes. Then when your day comes, God will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.”

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me every thing I need to live a godly life. Help me to see the gifts and talents that you have given me. Help me to let go of feelings of inadequacy and take hold of Your sufficiency.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Read John 6:1-13. What did God do with the boy’s small lunch?

What do you think God is asking you to offer to Him?

He will use what you’ve got…but you’ve got to use what you’ve got.

More from the Girlfriends

Today’s devotion was taken from my new book, Take Hold of the Faith you Long For: Let Go, Move Forward, Live Bold. And if there is anything we need to let go of in order to move forward it’s shame and condemnation. A mediocre, mundane faith is not what you were made for! In Take Hold of the Faith You Long For, I reveal the most common reasons we get stuck in our Christian faith, living less than what we had hoped. I show you how to break free of all that holds you back, move forward with all that God promises, and live the adventurous faith of bold believing. It’s time to TAKE HOLD of all that Jesus has already taken hold of for you and placed in you! Click on the book cover to download a sample chapter and view a quick video. And if you’re looking for a new study for your women’s group or individual study, Take Hold includes a Bible Study guide in the back.