By: Denny

What are you good at? The short answer is you become good at the things you love. Notice the emphasis on become and love. I think we’ve all heard or even said it ourselves, “Well, I’m not very good at that.” For instance, I’ll never become a good cook because it’s something I don’t love doing. If I had to, I could cook some bacon and eggs or oatmeal for breakfast. It doesn’t take a genius to make a hamburger, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or microwave a pizza. On the other hand, Lucy loves to cook and is the best cook I know. Everyone has God given talents or giftings that need to be discovered, developed, and realized. Happy and content are those who find them. My dream as a boy was to become a truck driver just like my dad, but I had to be trained, submit to, and listen to his instructions. It took years of hard work, dedication, discipline, and practice. Looking back now after 50 years of trucking it’s not bragging to say I was good at it, because I have the awards to prove it and I loved doing it. I’ve seen so many truck drivers who after years of driving still can’t back a 53-foot trailer in a straight line up to a dock. To them it’s just a job. Another thing I love to do and I’m good at is fixing things, building, and problem solving, because it involves figuring things out and working with my hands. In a previous blog post I wrote about building my model railroad layout. Admittedly, I enjoyed planning and constructing it more than operating it because of the challenge it presented. There are things you may love to do but aren’t very good at doing. I inherited my great-grandfather’s fiddle. I always loved fiddle music, so I thought I’d give it a try. I bought some books, took a few lessons, and practiced, practiced, practiced. I can play it, but I don’t have plans to move to Nashville anytime in the future. That’s okay because I know it’s not a talent I have, but I still like playing it for my own enjoyment.  

   I think we should try to do our best at whatever we do, but don’t feel bad or get down on yourself if you aren’t good at everything. Do the things you love to do and excel in them. Don’t compare yourself to someone else’s talents, gifting, and abilities. It’s wise to know your limitations, but you’ll never realize your hidden potential by being afraid to try something new. I hated my Creative Writing class in high school or having to write a book report or term paper, because it was something I had to do to pass the class. I opted out of Speech 101 because I was fearful of speaking in front of people. Ironically and oddly, now that I’m in my later years of life I enjoy writing and I’m not afraid to speak to an audience. I have years of experiences to draw from and write about, and my perspective about life has evolved and matured. I find that writing helps me express myself in many ways. It’s like painting a picture with words. The difference is now it comes from my heart and not my head.

   When I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior 39 years ago and allowed Him to have control of my life, everything changed. Life itself took on a whole new meaning as I filtered everything through the truths found in the Bible. I had many talents and gifts that were dormant and yet to be discovered, until the Holy Spirit made them to come alive in me. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Far too many people use their gifts and talents to benefit themselves and advance their agenda, but the true followers of Christ should have the mindset to use them in advancing the Kingdom of God. After all, the only things we do on earth in this life that will last are the things we do for Him. Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was. (Matthew 22:36-37) He replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” I believe if more people would love God in that way first and foremost, they would become more like him, and the world would see more good and less evil. In 2 Timothy 3 the Apostle Paul wrote about the perilous times to come in the last days. He starts out by saying that people will love themselves and money. He then recites the list of seven “UNs” that they become. Unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, which is nearly a duplicate of what he said in Romans 1:31 where he also adds: undiscerning, untrustworthy, unmerciful. Jesus said He would send the Holy Spirit to be a helper to those who were believers, and they would worship God in spirit and in truth. If you’re not very good at that yet, ask the Holy Spirit to help you. That’s what He was sent to do, and in so doing you’ll avoid those nasty “UNs”.