Article November 9, 1987 Issue

Using our talents for Christ

Wherever we are now, we can take every opportunity to use our abilities for good.

Sharon Slaton Howell

Christ Jesus said, "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples."^{ John 15:8.} But this call for a productive, spiritually useful life is not limited to some ill-defined spiritual elite; it speaks to each of us.

If you're thinking, "I want to be faithful to Christ's call, but how can I express my abilities more purposefully?" an experience I had several years ago might help. I felt stuck in my job. Day after day I mostly sat. My employer was very talented, and it seemed he could do the work faster than he could delegate it to me. At first I tried to find projects for myself, but that wasn't too successful. Finally the feelings of inactivity and uselessness got unbearable. I began looking for another position. A long time went by with no success there either.

Then one day in the course of my Bible study I read these words of Christ Jesus: "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you."^{ Luke 17:20, 21.} I was familiar with the passage, but this particular day the words seemed to light up. I saw why I was still battling idleness and frustration.