Planting the Seeds

"Then will all your people be righteous and they will possess the land forever.  They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, for the display of my splendor." (Isaiah 60:21)

We have gathered the ashes, we have turned the soil, and we have fed the soil.  It is now time to plant the bulbs and seedlings that will become our garden.  There are so many flowering plants and shrubs in this world that are so beautiful, they make my heart ache and sing at the same time.  Isn't Creation amazing?  I don't know the names of most of those plants, but what I do know is that most of them do not grow in the soil of Southwest Ohio.  I've learned over the years that if I want to enjoy beautiful, thriving plants around my house, I must plant what is able to grow (not what I wish could grow).

The same is true for the garden of our souls.  We were created with talents and gifts that God instilled in us on purpose.  Each of us possesses a unique mixture of such talents and gifts, and our job is to nurture and use these for His glory.  I would love to be able to paint breathtaking pictures or compose music on a whim, but those are talents I simply don't possess.  Others do, and I enjoy their creations immensely.  The same goes for all of us - we each have our own talents, which if used for the glory of God, enrich the lives of those around us.

Do you believe that you possess no useful talents at all, or that the talents you have aren't good enough to pursue?  I hope not - these are lies sowed by satan - don't believe them.  You are a shoot God has planted for the display of His splendor.  Notice that the verse does not say you are an award-winning, fully-blooming, heavenly-scented plant.  You are a shoot - a bud, a seedling of God's masterful hand.  Your unique talents and gifts are meant to bloom thoughtfully, carefully, and deliberately in His time and for His splendor.

The soil of faith in Christ is the richest soil in which to nurture who God wants you to become.  Don't try to plant someone else's seeds in that soil, trapped in the lie that another's talents are more desirable or meaningful than your own.  Instead, plant the seeds God has given you to grow - and watch in wonder as they develop into the masterpiece He has given us in you.

What is a talent you appreciate in a brother or sister in Christ whom you know?  What is a talent that you possess for the display of His splendor?  Please share!