Put it to Use

 

Learning different languages has always been a part of my school curriculum. I started middle school with Italian, but it didn’t resonate with me as I had hoped. When I entered high school, I decided to switch to Spanish. Our teacher made the classes really enjoyable; we weren’t allowed to speak any English during lessons, which really pushed us to practice our skills. After four years of studying Spanish, I felt pretty confident in my speaking abilities.

Years later, when we planned our first trip to Mexico, I couldn't wait to show off my Spanish skills. To my embarrassment, though, I struggled to put sentences together. In fact, my then-newlywed husband, who had never taken a Spanish course in his life but learned it from his coworkers in construction, spoke it far better than I did.

While in college, I was ambitious and decided to take on Arabic. The course wasn’t as difficult as I expected, so I followed it with two more semesters. By the end, we were even able to write a short story in Arabic. However, because I didn’t continue to practice the language in real life, I now can only recall a few letters of the alphabet.

God has blessed each of us with gifts and abilities that we are to use to glorify his kingdom. However, it is our responsibility to put them into practice and apply them in our daily lives. My study Bible uses the term "cultivate," which means “to put to use’ and “develop”. When we put them into practice, we only improve on them with time. 

If we neglect exercising our gifts and abilities like the languages I learned, we risk allowing them to diminish. Jesus best illustrates this concept in the parable of the talents.  He tells the story of a master who entrusted his servants with varying amounts of talent: those who actively engaged with their talents only ended up with more, while the one servant who failed to put his talent to use lost the little that he had due to inaction.

To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. (Matt. 25:29 NLT)