Our small church has an average attendance of about 10 to 20 people. How amazing and wonderful that within such a relatively small number we have three pianists. And this past Sabbath, our guest pastor could also play quite beautifully. Each person has their own style of playing, and I enjoy hearing each one. Our guest pastor’s pieces for special music seemed to be more of what you would hear at a professional concert. I have never attended a large concert, only a few local ones, but regardless of location and numbers the skill of the musicians always impresses me. It is obvious that the professionals who make music their livelihood practice many hours each day. When hearing a piece of well-played complex music I often wonder if I should give up on the piano. I’ll never attain that level of professional playing. What is the reason I want to play anyway? In our little church, three other people can already play very well. We don’t need another pianist. So does that mean I should give up? Should I move on to something else?
My playing is very much at an elementary level but that doesn’t mean I should stop improving nor does it mean that one day I might not be useful. There is a lady where I work who is probably in her seventies and she is learning to play for the first time. I’m so impressed by her! I learned to read music while I was still young and that makes my practicing easier. But for this lady, it is all new. Her teacher has encouraged her to play a recital for some residents in a nursing home. I thought back to the pianists I know who have played at various health care facilities and the patients are always so thankful. How wonderful to share any amount of talent with people who are hurting, sick, tired, lonely, and possibly depressed. I’ll never play in Carnegie Hall but maybe one day I could bring a smile to someone who hasn’t had a visitor in a week or more.
In Matthew 25: 14 – 30, we read the parable of the talents. A talent is an amount of money and the master gave to his servants the different sums of five, two, and one as according to their ability. Who determined how many talents each was to receive? Did the servants come up to the master and ask for a certain number? No, each was given according to the knowledge and wisdom of the master. Did the servant who only received two talents look over at the servant with five and say, “Well why didn’t the master give me more? I could do better than that fellow if I had five!” Nor did the servant say, “the master only gave me two, he must not think I can do a good job. I’m not worthy to do anything for the master.” We all have different talents and even different measures of talent. That doesn’t make us any better or worse than anyone else. What we do with those talents is what makes the difference. God desires us to use our talents for His purposes. He cannot work through someone who thinks they can do the best job in and of themselves. Nor can He work through people who are constantly looking down on themselves as unworthy or not useful. As our guest pastor said, there is no such thing as accidental adoption. Whether we think we are worthy or not God has chosen us, adopted us, and therefore He makes us worthy through the value He has places on each of us.
I am not the best piano player and that’s ok. I only need to improve upon the small talent God has given me in order to be faithful. In our lives, if we end up taking a couple of steps backwards, if we get stuck in the ditch or pothole, if we lose our way, let us not despair. We must keep our eyes on Jesus, not on ourselves or on other people. If we pray for guidance from Him, and are open to His will each day, then He will show us His way even if we think we aren’t getting anywhere. After all, His ways are not our ways and what we think is the most important really may be the least (Isaiah 55:8). Perhaps we can be a light to just one person.