(Matthew 25: 14-27)
It would not have surprised my parents that God led me into a speaking ministry because I have been “speaking” forever! Now, I don’t mean talking…all of us do that…I mean standing in front of a group of people, orating-- using proper gestures and vocal inflections. It started in kindergarten. I dramatically recited The Shoemaker and the Elves which I had memorized while sitting in the corner; a clever discipline that kept me from doing my second favorite thing-- bossing the other kids around! This obsession with speaking didn’t end at school! The kids in my neighborhood would sometimes get together to play kickball or ride bikes, but on other days, I would gather them at my house, seat them in neatly-rowed chairs ,and “teach” them complete with tests, report cards, and blackboard! It was amazing that they stayed, but I was much taller and had an incredible “teacher-face!”
When I entered high school, a wonderful teacher-- Joy Montgomery—introduced me to the world of interpretive reading and drama! Whoa! Nellie hold the door, I had found my true purpose in life! I was going to become a Broadway star! To fulfill this dream, I majored in speech and drama but included English so I could actually get a job. (You know, just in case the whole Broadway thing fell through.) As life would have it, the whole Broadway thing fell through (!) and the closest I got was living on Broadway Street in Yazoo City, Mississippi. It was in Yazoo City I was placed, legitimately this time, in front of a classroom to teach…or as I like to say, “Speak with the power of the grade book!”
Our church offers a spiritual gifts test so each member can discover their God-given gifts for service. I thought, maybe I had changed since kindergarten and perhaps God wanted me to do something else! So, with sharpened number 2 pencil in hand I took the test. My gift overwhelmingly turned out to be: Teaching!!! Surprise, surprise. (My lowest gift was “mercy”…but every student I had ever taught knew that!) One thing that did surprise me was my second highest gift: encouragement. Hmm. I sat for awhile and considered if I ever use this gift! This is one gift we aren’t sure about until years later… at our funeral…and even then we don’t know! Then I thought about Miss Montgomery who was a gifted speaker but found time to encourage this would-be speaker. She, according to Matthew 25 “invested” her talent in me!
I coached some talented students this year for the Mississippi Baptist Speakers tournament; four very different students with very different speeches. All of them had winning capabilities but one…loved it…one wanted to give her speech over and over. Kind of reminded me a little of myself --eager to get in front of others and tell them what God has done… I realized one day I will be gone and whatever gift I might have will be buried with me, unless I invest it into the next generation…Maybe Jesus meant this too in His parable of the talents…yes, we must use our gifts but we also are to invest them!
What about your gift? You have one…we all do. (The Bible tells me so!) Are you using it? Are you investing it? If not it will be buried with you! Only in investing can the gift go on! It’s God’s stimulus package! He gives…we invest!!
Thank you Miss Montgomery…where ever you are! Your investment has compounded daily! I pray that it will reap 10 times over what you gave for generations to come!
3 comments:
"a clever discipline that kept me from doing my second favorite thing-- bossing the other kids around!"
I thought it was your first favorite thing. ha
You have never tolerated second best. You have never had plan b. Funny how both those things always lead to the succes of plan a, regardless of what it is you are trying to accomplish.
You reveal more and more of your personality in your blogs being that I have yet to hear you speak, but will soon with your video we will put on your website. Really enjoyed this blog entry too!
I was just talking with someone tonight about how God places mentors and encourager of the faith in our lives. At the time we may not realize how that person is investing in our lives but will eventually see it.
At the same time let us not forget that we can very easily destroy someone's faith and respect by the things we do and say.
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