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Don't hide your talents behind a "but"
By Brandon Jubar

The hardest person to satisfy is you. It’s safe to say that we tend to be our own worst critics. Most of us don’t think we are talented enough, or gifted enough, or that our abilities are worth anything to anyone. But all our abilities are gifts from God, and they are meant to be shared.

Most of us would agree that, except for certain extreme situations, taking something that doesn’t belong to you is wrong. But what about not sharing something that we are supposed to share? Should we be concerned about violating God’s command, “You shall not steal?”

But I don’t have any gifts!
Everyone has a gift, because we reflect God’s goodness. In fact, most people have more than one gift that they can share. The key is to change your perspective on what constitutes a gift. Playing the piano and carpentry skills are gifts; but so are being able to listen carefully and ask good questions. Gifts are not always flashy, but they are always there.

But I just like to keep to myself!
Gifts are meant to be shared, because God expects us to love one another. One way to do that is to share our gifts. Why play the piano if no one will hear it? Why build something if no one will use it? Why be a good listener if you don’t want to hear anyone? We are all parts of the body of Christ, and we need to work together to build God’s kingdom on earth. Sharing our gifts is an excellent way to do just that.

But I’m really not that good!
The more we share our gifts, the more they are expanded. The more piano recitals we play, the more wooden furniture we build, and the more times we listen attentively, the better we will become at doing these things. We may never be perfect, but we will certainly improve and our gifts will be that much more valuable. So stop criticizing yourself, and start sharing yourself with others. Don’t hide behind a “but” phrase or some other excuse. Get out there and share your gifts. If you do that, then you won’t be ignoring God’s command, “You shall not steal.”

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