You are of great value!

    There is a story in the Bible about three men receiving talents from their master who was about to go on a trip. One man received five talents, another received two and the last man received one. According to the account, each man received talents according to his own personal ability. But, what I like about this story is the fact that each man received something. Not one was rejected or neglected, they all received something based on what they were able to handle. 
    This story could so easily be about comparison but it’s actually not. We are not told that any of these men complained about what they had received. We are not told that they even compared what they had received with someone else’s talents. The first two, at least, simply went and invested what they had been given and received an increase. 
    This story reminds me of the reality that God has made deposits in each of our lives and what He has deposited is of great worth and value. We don’t need to compare ourselves with anyone else or believe that we are at a disadvantage … because we are not. God has given each person exactly what they need to fulfil His plan and purpose for their life. And that right there is the key thing. One of my favourite verses is found in Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God gives us what we need to fulfil His specific purpose for our lives. So, if He gives us five talents to fulfil His purpose through us then five talents is all we need. If He gives us only one, then one is all we need. It’s not about quantity, it’s about purpose! 
    I recently had a conversation with a vocal trainer. We were looking at a number of things including the process and purpose of vocal training. For her, it did not matter whether the person had a so-called good voice or a so-called bad voice. It was about working with the voice the person has and the person learning to work with and appreciate the uniqueness of their own voice. It was about taking that voice and bringing out its full potential; it’s also about a person learning to find their own voice.
    That conversation encouraged me because I am reminded that God never makes a mistake. And, whatever He has deposited in us He knows exactly how to use it to be a blessing to others. In short, what you have matters, no matter how small or big; it is filled with more worth and value than you can imagine!
    At the end of the story of the talents, the master returns home and each man has to give account for what he did with his talents. The first two men were able to happily report that they had invested the talents and received an increase. Their master was pleased and rewarded them accordingly. The last man, however, did not wisely use what he had been given and his master became angry with him. He took the little that he had and gave it to someone else. 
    You might think that the one talent was insignificant enough that the master would not care, but he did. That one talent was of great worth and value and maybe sometimes the little that we think we have seems so insignificant and of so little value that we take it for granted. The problem is, God does not see it that way. He knows that every little deposit from Him is of great value. We need to see it that way too and choose to do something with what we have been given.
    At the end of the day, only God’s opinion truly counts. Genesis 1:31 says, “And God saw everything that He had made and behold it was very good.” God knows that whatever His hands have made is good. Whatever, He has deposited in us is good. He doesn’t make anything worthless or of lesser value. Some things may require extra work, an investment of time and effort, but it’s still good. You are of great value and what God has put in you is of great worth and value. Never allow anyone or anything to cause you to believe less.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. God wants to do great things in and through you. He knows that what He has put in you is good and of great value - and so are you. Believe that you are of worth; believe that what God has put in you is of great value because God is good and faithful.

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