We Are Created With Talent

Do you ever feel like you are nothing, like you were made for so much more?  Albert Einstein once said, “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.” Being an athlete, I see this every practice, every game, every day I step onto the court. When mistakes occur, I feel like there is something wrong with me. I  pursue in asking myself if that’s really all I can do. Many people nowadays struggle with this because they see on social media how good others are and then they look at themselves and begin to think about how inferior they are. Whenever I miss a free throw, or miss a serve over the net, I get really discouraged. I beat myself up over it. I feel like I really don’t have any talent at all.

Many people believe this lie that Satan has lodged into our minds. We aren’t enough, we are nothing. As Christians we are called to reject this lie and fight it off with truth: we are enough in Christ. We are made in God’s image and He has given each and every one of us a special talent.

Even if you do not believe in the Bible, there are many things that stand in our path that try to make human beings stumble and fall. Everyday, bullies come to school ready to hurt someone by telling them how ugly they are, and highlighting every single mistake that the bullied one makes.

I believe that we ourselves are our biggest enemy; we push ourselves to be something more than what is possible at the time. Kids these days struggle with a lack of self-confidence, more than any other generation. Today, only 2% of teen girls actually think that they are beautiful (Journal Buddies) and rates of anxiety and depression have gone up 70% in the past 25 years due to social media (Irreverent Gent). Scrolling through social media is a highway to depression, because we see how pretty the girls are and how strong the guys are, and we begin to look at ourselves and think, “I’m not that pretty,” or  “I’m not as strong as he is.” Today, it’s a fight between those who are popular and those who aren’t, those who are rich and those who are poor. When you’re poor or unpopular, you begin to form an opinion of, “I’m not good enough, I have no talent because I’m not like them.” Racism is another factor for a lack of self-confidence as it is a continual struggle year after year. It gives those races that are hated upon and attacked the idea and feeling that they aren’t enough, and that they mean nothing in this world. Children and adults with deformities or disabilities often feel depressed like they are worth nothing when others rudely let them know that they aren’t normal.

None of these things are true, even if you are rich or poor, tall or short,” normal” or “abnormal”, popular or unpopular, black or white, brown or yellow, you have a talent. It says in Peter 4:10 that each person “should use whatever gift he has received…” All humans have been created in God’s image and that makes us all unique, we all have natural talent and learned abilities. God has created mankind with a talent that is used to serve Him, He has created everyone with a natural talent, but those who truly follow Him have a spiritual gift, given to them by the Holy Spirit.

Although talent makes us unique and who we are, as Christians we find our worth in Christ and being made in His image. We should always, as Christians find our worth in Christ Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. Even if you are not a believer in Christ, you are special because, although you may not believe it, you are made in the image of God, nothing can change that.

God created us all with curious minds, our minds help us to seek him and understand his truths. Our curiosity leads to our passions. My passions are sports, specifically basketball. Passions are used to help lead others to Christ. We use our passions in a manner worthy of the king who has created us. We all have our own passions. Maybe yours is dancing, singing, birdwatching, coaching, gaming, or teaching. Being curious is amazing, it helps lead us to our passions and our passions can lead to our talents. Our own, unique, special talents.

However, even if we are passionate about something, being human, we can get discouraged, but we still have something to live for. Even if you are not a Christian, God has still given you a natural talent and a beautifully curious mind, you can still use the things he has given you. Maybe you were born with a deformity; well, embrace it, use it to show others that you are unique and passionate, you can do the same things others can do. Maybe right now you are struggling with your grades not being high enough, which requires working hard. That’s ok, maybe you’re naturally better at basketball and volleyball or some other sport or another extracurricular activity. Your talent is what you do best. Stop listening to the others who say you are worth nothing, because as Christian Pop artist, Britt Nicole sings, “you are worth more than gold.” You are loved, and talented, so go out today, don’t think about what others say, but go and do what you do best.