You have probably watched with amazement at a skillful artist, carefully crafting a work
of art. The work seems to flow effortlessly, and you realize quickly that this artist has a special
gift. I remember sitting across the table from our young daughter, as she did a pencil sketch of my
face. I realized immediately that she has a remarkable talent, which I will never have—an eye for
color and detail, plus the ability to accurately transfer what she was seeing to paper.
Where do people get these talents? Although they can be practiced, honed and refined, are
they not something innate, something given to them from birth? Like physical size, hair, color, eye
color, etc., artists really cannot take credit for acquiring these types of talents on their own, because
they were born with them. Unlike learned skills, which a person picks up through their own study
and effort, such talents are a gift from God.
We get a clearer understanding of the divine origin of artistic talents by looking at the
specialized artisans used in construction of the tabernacle. The Bible says that Moses was
commanded by God to utilize selected individuals to whom God had given special skills. “And
Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 2 See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of
Hur, of the tribe of Judah: 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in
understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4 to devise skilful works, to
work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, 5 and in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of
wood, to work in all manner of workmanship. 6 And I, behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab,
the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the heart of all that are wise-hearted I have put
wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee: 7 the tent of meeting, and the ark of
the testimony, and the mercy-seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the Tent, 8 and the
table and its vessels, and the pure candlestick with all its vessels, and the altar of incense, 9 and
the altar of burnt-offering with all its vessels, and the laver and its base, 10 and the finely wrought
garments, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in
the priest’s office, 11 and the anointing oil, and the incense of sweet spices for the holy place:
according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do,”(Ex. 31:1-11). Notice that God gave
not only the artistic abilities, but the intelligence or knowledge of how to acceptably use them.
In addition to the metal work and related crafts, these talents extended to skillful spinning
and sewing. “And all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that
which they had spun, the blue, and the purple, the scarlet, and the fine linen. 26 And all the women
whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun the goats’ hair,” (Ex. 35:26-27).
Several critical lessons emerge from this important background information: First, innate
talents are gifts from God. They are part of that great collection of tokens of God’s love for
humanity. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of
lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning,” (Jas. 1:17).
Second, God has permitted man to retain the choice, or free will to decide whether, and to
what extent such talents will be used to God’s glory. This profound fact shows the great
responsibility we have to properly use what God has entrusted to us. How are we using God’s good
gifts? We speak of “our” time, “our” talents, etc., but the truth is, these are on loan from a loving
God. And he has placed them into our hands for a little while.
Third, it would stand to reason that there is going to be someday a reckoning or accounting
for how we are using these God-given talents and gifts. “Now after a long time the lord of those
servants cometh, and maketh a reckoning with them. And he that received the five talents came
and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: lo, I have gained
other five talents,” (Mt. 25:19-20). God expects us to use what we have received from Him in a
wise and commendable way. Rather than boasting or bragging about our great abilities, we should
graciously offer them back to God from whence they came.
Think about those in the church with great singing voices, or teaching abilities, or cooking
skills, or woodworking, or machinist skills, or the many other amazing talents. There is room in
the kingdom for all of us to humbly use our gifts. Some have the gift to engage the lonely and
downhearted in healthy conversation and care. Some have the ability to cheer the fainting, to lift
up the fallen, (Gal. 6:1-2), to welcome the visitor and reassure those who are searching. Some have
the gift to support and encourage those who are using their gifts!
Friend, where did you get that talent? It is a gift from our gracious God. A God, who loves
you, and has a purpose and plan for your life. What will you do with the special skills and talents
God has placed into your hands today?
Where Did You Get That Talent?
