I’ve been thinking recently on the topic of using our talents for the Lord. Reason being, I help to teach our church’s Sunday School class, and that’s what the most recent lesson was about, taken from the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30. Some questions I was asking myself, (a few of these were mentioned in class):

• What “talents” do you/I have, and are we using them to serve the Lord?
• Am I burying my talents?
• Am I acknowledging the Source of any talents I might have, and am I giving Him the glory or “showing off” my talents as if they originated with me?
• How do our talents affect our choice of career/vocation and our calling/choice of ministry?
• How can young people develop their talents for the Lord?
• How are youth to discover their talents? (excellent question asked by a student)

As I was thinking along these thought “threads”, I happened across an excellent message by Emanuel Esh entitled, “Spiritual Ministry“. I highly recommend you listen to the whole message (click on the link), but if you are short on time, I’ll give you the gist of what it was saying to me:

• Ministry is looking around, finding someone to help, finding someone that you can help
• True ministry starts by seeking after God
• Even the most mundane tasks (scrubbing the floor, doing dishes) can be a true Spiritual ministry if the heart is there.
• Spiritual ministry begins with a heart attitude of serving others
• Sometimes ministry is born out of adversity (people who have gone through difficulties can help others who are going through the same or similar circumstance)
• See a need… Meet that need… If you ask, “Why does no else do that?” Maybe it’s because God wants you to do it.
• William & Catherine Booth were effective in their ministry because they met the needs of the people to whom they were ministering…on their level.

Lot’s of food for thought, so, what do you think? Feel free to comment.

Posted on June 27th, 2006 by Josh Champagne
Filed under: Bible Study, New Hope Mennonite Church