As Christians we hear a lot about our uniqueness and our talents (gifts) and the bible refers to them in several of its books – Romans, James, Corinthians, Peter, Ephesians to name a few. I have often heard people say that you either have a particular talent or you don’t! A talent is something that you have inbuilt, but often that talent is unfulfilled, through a lack of opportunity, for many reasons. A talent can be honed and strengthened through practice. The Bible tells us that we are all born with distinct talents and gifts that set us apart from each other. But we need to search for, find and embrace these talents and use them in our relationship with God and with each other.
“Every good gift and every perfect present come from heaven; it comes down from God, the creator of the heavenly lights, who does not change or cause darkness by turning”. James 1:17
Our church is always graced with lovely floral arrangements, and usually all our windows are decked with baskets of flowers, thanks to our very able ‘flower arranger’. But this year as Easter approached, our flower arranger was unwell, and it looked like we might be minus our usual floral arrangements this year. What could we do?
Often in our churches we are in a position where certain jobs fall to a single person, which leaves us vulnerable when something happens, and that person is no longer able to fulfil the task.
How could we create a backup plan? After prayer and consideration over several days my friend came to mind, (interestingly not a Christian), who was a qualified florist, now retired. When asked for advice she willingly volunteered to run a workshop for us and just before Easter a small group of nervous, but none the less enthusiastic people waited in anticipation for instructions, each saying that they had no experience of the task but were willing to have a go. One or two people decided to ‘just watch’. The air in the room was tangible with expectation, and so the workshop began. Within minutes the watchers were helping and encouraging, and the air was filled with chatter and laughter as the floral arrangements began to take shape, and the confidence of the members of the group gained momentum.
Wow! The end results were ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. Although each person had similar tools to do the job, each arrangement produced was unique. So much was achieved that afternoon – those who encouraged and supported, those who gained confidence and techniques, and we now have a number of potential flower arrangers for the future. Every single arrangement could have won awards, and everyone remarked that they had had a lovely time, despite having reservations about their abilities, so much so that they left with the promise of another workshop soon.
“We know that in all things God works for good with those who love him”. Romans 8:28
For me it affirms our belief that when we turn to God, He will provide. He will not let us down. God is good!
Kathy Shaw
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