The Living Word: A Daily Devotional with Jeff & Dale from The Jenkins Institute
The Living Word is a daily devotional featuring Scripture and encouragement from Jeff and Dale of The Jenkins Institute. Each episode offers a thoughtful reading to coincide with the daily devotional guides from our annual devotional books. They are designed to help listeners begin or end their day grounded in God’s Word.
The Living Word: A Daily Devotional with Jeff & Dale from The Jenkins Institute
Week 18: Thursday, My Talent Isn’t Your Talent
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My mother was diagnosed with polio when she was five months old. She’s
never walked straight or ran. We could admit she wasn’t blessed
physically with what others had, yet she has doubled it with her spiritual
influence. We often forgot about her physical limitations because she
doubled what she had by her zeal and thirst for the Lord. It had nothing
to do with how “talented” she was, but what she did with what she was
Week eighteen, Thursday. My talent is not your talent. Today's scripture is Matthew chapter twenty five and verse seventeen by Logan Cates. I am Ricky Berger. My mother was diagnosed with polio when she was five months old. She's never walked straight or ran. We could admit she wasn't blessed physically with what others had, yet she has doubled it with her spiritual influence. We often forgot about her physical limitations because she doubled what she had by her zeal and thirst for the Lord. It had nothing to do with how talented she was, but what she did with what she was given. She is an excellent, godly mother, and we are so thankful for her. What is the difference between the five talent man and the two talent man? If ten talents were an astronomical amount, it seems to be a whole lot more than four, right? The master does not provide people with identical or equal gifts or opportunities. One man's generosity could be the giving of his money, another might be laboring with his hands, and another might be a serving heart. Not every member is an elder, and not every member is built to stand behind pulpits. Every single one of us must invest what we have been given. This is about stewardship, what we have been provided by the master. We can get envious of others and their abilities instead of focusing on what we have. We are easily offended or distracted and drawn into battles of comparison, especially on social media. The man who was given two talents did not have time to be bitter that he was not given five talents. He doubled what he was giving, making proper use of what he had. In John chapter twenty one, verses twenty through twenty two, Peter asked Jesus, What about this man? Jesus quickly responded with If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? John chapter twenty one and verse twenty two. Jesus reminds Peter to focus on his faithful journey and not spend time comparing himself to others. Today I will avoid the pitfall of comparison and see and use the uniqueness of God's blessings He has given me.