So long ago and far back then, I had Lamborghini-like expectations—a Lamborghini Aventador Convertible costs nearly 1/2 a million dollars—
but I was born only with an affordable self,
(a “Ford” brain and body) and only one talent:-)
Now that the rising sun of youth is far gone, and the mid-day glory of marriage, children, and career,
and I am fast receding into old age—
and experiencing the tragedy of the untimely deaths of my loved ones and their dementia,
and the twisting by false Christian leaders of all that is of worth and value...
yes, now that I am diminishing, part of the outgoing tide of Life and history,
a parable by Jesus comes back to me with new force—
the one which compares the Realm of God
and us humans with a story about talents.
[The Realm of God] “…will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability.
Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’
21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’
23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’”
Matthew 25: 14-25 ESV
Thank God, I didn't behave like the man who got only 1 talent, even though I only did get 1 fairly average talent. But why couldn't life have been all different or even mildly so?
When I was a kid, I always wanted to be the guy who was got 5 talents.
However as I grew to adulthood, I soon realized after struggling with algebra,
physics, and Spanish, passing, not failing, but flailing because so disappointed.
So I determined, at least, not to be like the guy given only 1 talent who wasted the gift by hiding it. But even here, after much learning, diligence, and long hours of work, I discovered that even my 1 talent was rather average in comparison to my hopes, dreams, and goals.
Such is life for many of us.
You see, I had dreamed of and wanted to be like Joseph in Genesis, who after many years of trial and labor, eventually became the prince of talent.
But Life didn’t turn out that way. No matter how much and hard I worked.
Not that I don’t love my penchant and ability with words, images, ideas and concepts that God created me with. I love language, literature, art, and poetry, history, and philosophy.
Yes, I suppose some would call my incessant philosophizing and study of history—a second talent, but often that ability seems more like a liability, even at times a curse.
Why did I have to be born with “why” as my first word;-)?
Why was I at 11 trying to figure out theology and biblical interpretation and ethics while most kids were preoccupied with their bicycles and Little League?
For instance, consider all the false worldviews from Calvinism to Atheism, the ones which twist our lives, destroying and wrecking havoc for millions, the ones which I think about and work against.
I feel the incessant need (and choose to) study tome after tome and figure out valid reasons why those leaders of specious worldviews are wrong, and then I write thousands of pages explaining so in great depth. And lastly, I seek to point all people to the truth of Jesus the Chosen One, the Image of the Invisible God.
...while in contrast all my relatives and friends wonder why I bother so much over what others think.
Why couldn’t I have been born a physicist instead of a philosopher, a plumber instead of a poet?
At least then I could have easily paid the bills, dealt more with the hard data of reality rather than the imaginative and the speculative and the incomprehensible.
But I trust in God who is love that God can bring good out of my only 1 little talent, far beyond what I perceive.
We are to be branches, or twigs;-)through which Life and Truth and Love can move...
To be continued
In the Light,
Daniel Wilcox
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