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No Gift Too Small
All God’s gifts are valuable—even ones that pale by comparison.
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Comparisons are all too human. As a high school student taking private violin lessons, I compared myself with my violin teacher's young prodigy. Each week, the teacher smiled with mild approval at my performance of an etude, and wrote out my assignment for the following week. Then, a 12-year-old boy entered the room for his lesson. With admiration and a sense of torture, I lowered myself into an armchair to listen as the dark-haired boy performed. He was preparing for a debut recital of works written for virtuosi. As the full chords of Bach's difficult Chaconne flowed rapturously from his violin, I thought, No matter how many years I study, I will never be able to play like him. My gift is too small. I don't deserve to be heard. A Willingness to TryDespising my gift for being comparatively small, I avoided playing my violin in worship services at my church for many years. Then I met Helen, a Christian and fellow violinist, who made me examine my attitude. Helen was one of two violinists in her church. I knew that the other violinist, Agnes, was excellent. But Helen had no problem with that. "Agnes embodies what violin playing should be. She is faultless. But my gift has a place, too. I play in the evening service while I let Agnes's wonderful gift shine in the morning service." Yes, I pondered. The important thing isn't who has the greater gift, but that each gift has its place. I began to seek opportunities to play during worship services in the summer, when the choir was on vacation and special music was needed. Several church members told me the Holy Spirit blessed them as I played. I grew more confident as I realized God was enabling me to use a gift he had given me. Now that I was aware of the importance of "giving what you have to God," I began to notice other church members who shrank from serving because they, too, sensed that their gifts paled by comparison. When our church split, however, and about 50 members left, the tragedy had an unexpected upside. The ones who fled our church vacated leadership positions on committees, teaching positions in the Sunday school program, and slots in the music ministry. Those remaining had a choice: they could continue to hide their gifts and let the church collapse. Or they could put their gifts to use. As Jean, a young pianist said, "I never expected to play in the morning worship service, but when Renee left, someone had to do it." The need was so great Jean offered to be Sunday school superintendent as well, discovering she had teaching and administrative gifts. When many of those who had left eventually returned, the church was enriched because so many members had begun using their gifts. Musical and Tone DeafGod doesn't want me to compare my gift with that of another Christian; he wants me to be faithful over what he's given me, no matter how small (Luke 16:10; Matt. 25:14-29; 1 Cor. 4:2). As the apostle Paul said of some of the Corinthians, "When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise" (2 Corinthians 10:12-12). |             |
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