THE WOODS WOULD BE SILENT IF NO BIRDS SANG

“Use what talent you possess: the woods would be very silent

if no birds sang except those that sang best.”

-      Henry Van Dyke

Why do we say, our talents are ‘God-given’? Do we, often, we use the expression, ‘God’s gift’?

So, it’s very clear to all of us, that our talents have come to us from God and we, definitely, haven’t ‘earned’ them… We are bestowed with them… blessed with them.

But, then, the question that haunts me, often, is this: Has God, our Master, bestowed them upon us ‘just like that’, with no strings attached? Or, has He, indeed, ‘gifted’ them to us, just like that, irrespective of our abilities, without any expectations or strings attached?

Yes, I reflect on my own life to get the answer for this question…

I believe, that God has given each one of us some talents, and He has given them according to our abilities. And, then, He has left to us to make the best use of them or let them get wasted…

That’s why, in my view, one of the biggest tragedies of life is when some of us let our God-given talents to just go wasted… when we do nothing with them. In fact, when we suspect the motives of our Master, and show unfaithfulness by ‘burying’ our talents…

“What have you done with the talents I had placed in your hands?” Yes, I believe, that God ‘will’ ask each one of us this question, one day, when He ‘takes the account’!

Harsh on His part?

Not in my view, Sir.  

As a little boy, whenever Jesus’ Parable of the Talents was narrated to us, I had not understood its relevance. And, at times, I did find it to be a ‘harsh’ one. But, as the boy in me grew up, the wisdom, too, did. This Parable, now, makes a lot of sense to me. So, let me share it here from Mathew’s narration (Chapter 25, Verse 14-30). And, not to ruin the old classical beauty, let me share with you this amazing parable, as it is…

The Parable of the Talents

 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants^[a]and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents,^[ to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.  He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more.  So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 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.’ 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.’ 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. 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.’  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, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Harsh?

Not at all, Sir.

At least, we know now from where the English word ‘Talent’– which we so casually toss – has originated. In those days, a Talent did mean a big sum of money. (One Talent was equal to sixty Minas).

Yes, our talents are a big sum of wealth, Sir.

At another place, Jesus tells this referring to our God-given talents…

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a lamp stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Still harsh?

GERALD D’CUNHA

Pic.: Rekha Srikar Shenoy

Video: Andre Rieu/YouTube