God has given each one of us a special talent. Some have more than one talent, but everyone has at least one.

We are to use that talent to the best of our ability and grow it day by day.

Jesus told a parable about burying talents. The talents in the parable were coins rather than God-given abilities, but the message is the same: We are to use our talent, not bury it. At our judgment, we’ll have to give an account to God of what we did with it. He’ll expect us to have grown our talent, just as in the parable the man was expected to have invested it and gained interest. He did not do that, and we all know what happened to him when he tried to give his talent back to God.

It wasn’t pretty.

*****

I heard the song “The Little Drummer Boy” today. It tells the simple tale of a little boy paying homage to Jesus at the stable in Bethlehem. Unlike the others who arrive with expensive gifts, the boy has no gift to give Jesus and no money to buy one. Then he realizes that he does have something to give Jesus after all – his talent. He’s good at drumming, so that’s what he gives to Jesus.

He asks Jesus’ Mom if he can play his drum, and

Mary nodded.

The ox and lamb kept time.

I played my drum for him.

I played my best for him.

Then he smiled at me, me and my drum.

God and Jesus don’t want us to give them expensive or elaborate gifts. They have no use for temples or cathedrals. They don’t need Frankincense or Myrrh. All they ask is that we use our talent for good.

That’s it. It’s very simple. Even a child can understand it.

*****

We can fill our days like Martha, letting the stress and drudgery of made-up priorities overshadow our talent so that we forget what we’re here for, or we can sit like Mary at Jesus’ feet, learning about the Kingdom and sharing that knowledge with others through the talent God has given us.

We all know which choice is better; we all know which choice will make Jesus smile and gain us even more talents come Judgment Day.

Invest wisely, my friend.

Merry Christmas!