Faith | ‘Talents’ or lessons learned should be shared with the rising generation

I think we can officially put the pandemic behind us. It amazes me the different affect it had on people.

We can now start facing new challenges.

Every day the Lord blesses us with the challenges and tragedies to yield lessons to be used to help others. The challenges you are going through now may seem more than you can bear. Please consider the saying, “It will always work out in the end, if it is not working out, it is not the end.”

It is interesting that when Christ walked on this planet, he taught with parables. The interpretations of these can lend guidance to our lives. One of my favorite parables is Jesus’ Parable of The Talents.

Until recently, I did not pay attention to this parable, thinking the talent referred to is only money. When I reflect on my life challenges, experiences and tragedies, I realize talent may instead refer to lessons from my life’s various experiences.

The scripture explains the dynamics of heaven like a master leaving on a long trip. He called three of his servants and gave each of them talents. He gave the first five talents, the second two talents, and one talent to the third. He gave to each according to their abilities, or as I have determined, the level of challenge each could handle. It is interesting that the master did not tell them what to do with the talent.

When the master returned for an accounting of the talents, the five-talent person and the two-talent person were recognized for doubling the talents and rewarded equally. Using this analogy of a talent as a lesson learned, I have determined that I am to use my allotted talents with others, to create an experience that we could not form alone. By combining our lessons with other’s experiences, we create far grander lessons with greater scope and impact.

The interesting thing in the parable is that heaven does not reward us by comparing our achievements to others. Rather, the person treated differently became the one that did nothing with his talent and kept it to himself. This person thought he would be rewarded for not taking any risk. Taking no risk was a regretful decision on his part.

I was sharing my thoughts on this with a good friend who recently retired. He was looking forward to just kicking back, enjoying his grandchildren, and doing leisurely things. I shared my observations of this parable, and he realized that retiring from his labors, kicking back, and sitting by the pool sipping lemonade the rest of his life was no different than the servant given one talent!

My understanding of this parable is we need to be trading our talents until this life here is over.

If you are in the older generation, as I am, consider focusing your life on sharing the lessons acquired over the years, and connecting with the rising generation. Perhaps seek to create new experiences with them.

Consider learning who they are and help them discover their reasons for living. Walk with them through their challenges. Listen to them with the intention of really knowing who they are. Have fun determining the lessons or talents they will acquire after facing a challenge.

Keep hold of their hand through both easy and challenging times.