Rhyme and Reason

We all got skills.

Heck Yes We Do!

Some of us are really good at painting, others are really good at basketball, some are amazing at playing guitar and singing, and yet others are the person you always go to if you need to talk to someone. Whatever our personal skillset, we have been given our talents with the intent to use them for the good and joy of those around us and ourselves. We have been given the ability to choose. With that we have also been given the ability to improve what we have, those things we are first-class at and especially the things we are inept at.

Jesus told a story somewhat along these lines in Matthew 25.

A man travelling into a far country called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents (or pieces of money), to another two, and to another one; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.

Later, the master came back for the report of what had been done with what he had given them during his absence. The two who had worked with their talents were able to have doubled what they were given. The last had done nothing and had nothing to show for it either, and so his talent was taken and given to another.

Ouuuccchhhh.... That Had To Hurt

This story makes me sad! I look at this story in terms of our personal "talents" and not as money, and when I do I feel bad for the guy who didn't do anything with what he had. I know for me that sharing my talents and working to improve them bring me the most happiness I ever get in life. And whenever someone does something like write amazing songs and play them for me (one such experience is very much on my mind right now), it blows me away and I can't help but appreciate and love the person who has God given talent they've worked hard at and so passionately shared.

...

But what if it had never been shared?
And do you really fully enjoy that which you have if you keep it all to yourself?
For that reason, I feel bad for the poor guy who buried the talent he had instead of being willing to take a chance and shoot for the stars.
And for those who strive to inspire and serve others with that which they have been given,

"Divine favor will attend those who humbly seek it."

Time and effort and faith... As we are patient and dilligent, through Christ we can turn our weaknesses into strengths and bring that thrill and joy to others and ourselves.

Knock Me Down, I'll Keep On Moving

We live in the, "On Demand" era where everything is at our fingertips with just a touch of a button or a couple of keystrokes. With it comes just the tiniest lack of patience...

How many people get sucked in by things that offer results FAST and drawn to various get rich quick schemes? Too many times its just because we naturally want to take the shortcut to get what we want even when there rarely IS no real shortcut. It needs be that lots of little pieces of work need to go in between our first setting out and the large hoped for end result. Confucius is credited with saying, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step".

A scripture in Alma 37:6-7 talks a little bit on this:

Behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

We all want big things in life, we all want to make big things happen, but if you don't make lots of little things happen you really are not going to get anywhere fast. I have found that there is a need to constantly and consistently build up small things to put together something greater.

I first did this in basketball as I grew up, putting in little bits of work wherever I could to catch up with the people who were physically superior to me and more physically gifted. Little by little over the course of about four years, I started to make my mark and catch up with them. I really can't say that im ever going to be a really amazing player, but I can definitely be the best that I can be.

Okay, So Maybe Not THAT Good...

I have since been able to carry some of that over with my being on a mission. Every morning, we have a morning routeine that ends at 10:00 am when we go out to work. Before that time, we prepare for the day with our personal and companionship study. I recognize that there are way better missionaries out there, but whats most important is doing things so that I can become better by putting in little bits of consistent effort and work.

Elder Ballard gave an awesome talk for the May 1990 Ensign speaking on "Small and Simple Things", but his last talk in General Conference really caught me. It made me think about all the small and simple things that can be related to little flakes of gold like an old-tyme miner might look for, and how its not the giant nuggets that bring forth wealth so much as the dilligent and consistent treasuring up of tiny flakes.

Now as I go throughout my day, I've started looking for the, "flakes" that over time can add up to equal or outweigh a nugget. The small and simple things, the "here a little and there a little" of the world, are what amount to great things over the course of time.