USING OUR GIFTS AND TALENTS

I’ve always loved to do handwork. It gave me an outlet for my creativity. It calmed me and centered me. And when I was sitting, my hands were busy and accomplishing something.

I’ve gone through a number of phases. During my cross-stitch phase, I would find a pattern I liked and spend hours, days, often months finishing a project. Sometimes I knew where the finished piece would go, and sometimes I would walk around the house holding the piece to see which room had space or color that would work. I would go with an open mind and see which room talked to me.

Once, I was working on a piece, had walked around my home twice and found that no place was calling me. The next Sunday as I taught Sunday school to the 1st- and 2nd-graders, I looked up and saw the empty wall and knew the cross-stitch had found its new home. I experienced a light-bulb moment. The definition of home I first used was the house I lived in, but my home is also my church home. The building I worship in is also my home. I remembered the story from the Old Testament when the Israelites were called upon to share their gifts, talents and resources to decorate the Temple during Solomon’s time.

This light-bulb moment was exciting. I wasn’t sure I wanted to give the cross-stitch piece that I worked so long and hard on to the church. My eyes felt like they were opened, and I saw that MY gift was first a gift given to me by God; it didn’t originate with me. This moment of insight was filled with awe at how close I was to God.

I also felt contrite because I hadn’t been thankful enough for my gift. God was asking for one piece of my needlework, and I had so many others, how could I not give Him one? I felt a sense of responsibility to develop my gift and use it to help others. I was feeling selfish at only wanting to keep my talent to myself, my family or close friends and not returning some back to the Lord. I realized why I couldn’t find a place in my home to hang the picture. The place God had prepared was my classroom at church. The children loved talking about the scripture and little pictures.

Each one of us is blessed with gifts and talents. It is so easy to think that these gifts are only for our own enjoyment. These gifts are often how we support ourselves and our families. God wants us to enjoy our gifts, as well as give back and share with others. He also wants a cheerful giver, which is sometimes hard to do when life around here is so busy and full.

What better way to say thank you to God than to share the gifts He has given you with others? Even now when someone compliments me on my needlework, I give God the credit first, smile and say thank you, because I know the giver of the gift!

— Elaine Woodward

Courtesy of The Church of the Good Shepherd United Methodist