What Have You Done With What You Have? A Take on the Parable of the Talents isn’t just a Bible story—it’s a real-life question that touches career, creativity, and purpose. The Parable of the Talents reminds us that everyone has been given something—skills, opportunities, or ideas—and the real measure is not how much, but what we do with it.
The Gist: Different Gifts, Same Purpose
Let’s settle it from the jump: God did not copy-paste anyone. What He gave to you isn’t what He gave to me. No need to envy. No need to shrink. No need to drag your feet and call it “small.” You’ve got something. I’ve got something. The real question is the one your heart already knows: what have you done with what you have?
And before you say, “This is only for church folks,” relax. You don’t have to be a Christian to get this. Look at it through your lens—career lens, creative lens, family lens, entrepreneurship lens. Truth is truth; it works anywhere.
The Parable, In Plain Language (Matthew 25:14–30)
A rich man was going on a trip. He handed resources (“talents”) to three servants—five to one, two to another, one to the last—each according to their ability. The five-talent guy doubled it. The two-talent guy doubled it. The one-talent guy buried his in the ground and came back with—drumroll—excuses.
The master praised the first two: “Well done.” The third? He got a tough review, not because he had little, but because he did nothing with it.
Message to all of us: Return on grace matters. The measure isn’t “equal gifts.” It’s “faithful use.”
“If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks the very words of God; if anyone serves, let it be with the strength God supplies…” — 1 Peter 4:11
Don’t Call It “Small”
When you label your gift “small,” you start treating it like trash instead of treasure. The ground is where seeds grow—but only after you plant them. Burying a gift is not sowing; it’s hiding. Please, don’t be that guy.
Real-Life Gifts, Real-Life Ways to Use Them
Let’s bring it home with everyday examples. You might spot yourself here:
Singing
Maybe your voice is not the lead-mic type. Fine. You might have the gift of arranging harmonies, coaching stage presence, managing rehearsals, or handling sound. Every great singer has a quiet army making the music work. If you can help gifted singers shine, that’s a gift.
Writing and Ideation
Perhaps you are a brilliant writer but struggle to generate fresh ideas. Partner with idea machines—those storytellers whose minds never sleep. You give structure, style, and soul; they bring sparks. Together you create fireworks.
Art and Promotion
You might be a creative beast with zero interest in marketing. Cool. Team up with someone who loves promotion, gallery relations, social media strategy, or brand partnerships. One paints the canvas; the other ensures the world sees it.
Mercy (Dorcas-Level Compassion)
If you’re drawn to people who hurt—if you can sense stress in a room and lean in—that’s the gift of mercy. See Dorcas (Acts 9:36–42): her kindness was not a side hustle; it was a ministry. People literally stood up to testify about her impact.
Hospitality (Abraham-Style Welcome)
Some people carry an aura that turns a house into a home. They set tables, remember allergies, and notice who is sitting alone. Think Abraham in Genesis 18—simple, sincere welcome that opened the door to big promises. Hospitality is not “small talk.” It’s kingdom architecture.
Encouragement
Maybe your superpower is sending that text at the right time, speaking hope when others see fog, or making teams believe again after a loss. Encouragement builds resilience. It’s the oil that keeps the engine from burning out.
Leadership
Perhaps you can gather people and move them toward a shared goal—no drama, just clarity, courage, and care. Leadership is less spotlight and more stewardship. If you can carry vision and people at the same time, use it—wisely and boldly.
Why Comparison Will Waste Your Time
Comparison is the app that drains your soul’s battery in the background. When you obsess over what others have, you ignore what’s in your hands. The five-talent person is not “better” than the two-talent person. In the story, both got the same praise because both were faithful.
A Simple Playbook to Start Using Your Gift
- Name it: What keeps coming naturally to you? What do people thank you for? Write it down.
- Frame it: How does this gift help people? Clarity attracts collaborators.
- Start tiny, stay consistent: Weekly reps beat occasional perfection.
- Collaborate: Pair your gift with someone else’s. Gifts multiply in partnership.
- Measure impact, not applause: Don’t chase noise; track change.
- Return and review: Like the servants, come back with a report—what worked, what didn’t, what’s next.
“But I’m Scared I’ll Fail…”
Everyone is, to be honest. But fear is not a sign to stop; it’s a cue to prepare. Remember 1 Peter 4:11: speak like it matters, serve like God is your strength. That way, when results come, the glory doesn’t sit on your shoulders—it goes where it belongs.
Your Gift Is Someone Else’s Answer
Somebody’s waiting for your song arrangement, your article, your safe living room, your strategic plan, your timely message, your leadership. You may never know how far the ripples travel—but throw the stone anyway.
Say This Out Loud
“I will use what I have. I will stop calling my gift small. I will collaborate. I will show up. I will return with a report.”
Final Nudge: What Have You Done With What You Have?
Today—yes, today—take one step. Send the email. Sketch the idea. Draft the outline. Offer the help. Open your home. Build the team. Plant the seed. Don’t bury it.
Let’s Talk: Questions You May Be Asking About the Parable of the Talents
You’ve read the gist, you’ve seen the parable, but maybe your heart is asking some quiet questions. Let’s sit down and talk through them—real talk, no pretence.
Q: What does the Parable of the Talents mean for career and creativity?
A: Imagine your career as the master’s investment and your creativity as the “talent” in your hand. The parable isn’t about who got the most; it’s about who did something with what they were given.
For your career, that means showing up with excellence, taking initiative, and refusing to bury your skills out of fear. For your creativity, it means putting your ideas out there—even if they’re not perfect yet. The five-talent guy wasn’t praised because he had five; he was praised because he multiplied them.
Lesson for us? Don’t wait for the “perfect platform.” Start with the small opportunities and watch them grow into doors you didn’t even imagine.
Q: How do I even find and use my gifts?
A: Here’s the secret—your gift is usually hiding in plain sight. What do people constantly thank you for? What comes naturally to you that feels difficult to others? That’s a big clue.
Once you spot it, here’s how to use it:
- Start small: Don’t despise small beginnings. That blog post, that song idea, that little act of kindness—it counts.
- Be consistent: Consistency is how gifts become skills.
- Collaborate: Your gift will shine brighter when paired with someone else’s.
- Serve with it: 1 Peter 4:11 reminds us—if you speak, speak as if it’s God Himself talking through you; if you serve, do it with God’s strength.
Bottom line? Your gift isn’t for decoration—it’s for impact.
Q: How do mercy and hospitality really change communities?
A: Mercy and hospitality look small, but they carry massive weight. Mercy means your heart bends toward people who are hurting. You notice stress others overlook. You sit with the broken without rushing them. That presence alone can keep someone alive another day. Think Dorcas—her simple acts of kindness spoke louder than sermons.
Hospitality? It’s the power of “welcome.” It turns strangers into family and creates belonging in a lonely world. Abraham in Genesis 18 fed strangers and unknowingly hosted angels. That one act opened the door to promises bigger than himself.
Communities built on mercy and hospitality thrive, because people don’t just survive there—they feel seen, safe, and at home.
Q: Why does comparison kill productivity and purpose?
A: Picture this: you’re in a 100m race, but instead of running, you’re busy checking how fast the person in lane three is moving. You’ll trip, slow down, or never finish. That’s exactly what comparison does.
It kills productivity because it shifts your eyes from your assignment to someone else’s results. It kills purpose because you start to despise what’s in your hand—calling it “small”—forgetting that someone out there is praying for exactly what you carry.
The parable of the talents shows us this clearly: the guy with two talents wasn’t called “lesser.” He got the same “well done” as the guy with five because both were faithful. God isn’t looking for duplication; He’s looking for faithfulness.
So stop scrolling your life away comparing. Your gift is not too small—it’s just waiting for you to use it.
Final Word
Friend, what’s in your hand? Maybe it’s leadership. Maybe it’s encouragement. Maybe it’s art, music, mercy, or hospitality. Whatever it is, please don’t bury it. Someone’s healing, growth, or breakthrough is tied to you showing up with your gift.
So, let’s agree today: no more envy, no more hiding, no more comparison. Just faithfulness with what we’ve been given.
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