“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. ~Matthew 25:14-16
A few years back I was the keynote speaker at a men’s event in Tehachapi, California along with ex-NFL quarterback Jay Schroeder. Jay offered a message of hope as he shared his professional sports experiences. A UCLA graduate, Jay started his professional career in 1979 playing catcher for a Toronto Blue Jays minor league team. Before games, Jay would make money betting opposing teams that he could throw a baseball from home plate over the center field fence over four hundred feet away!
In 1984 he was drafted to the Washington Redskins as a quarterback where he played behind Joe Theismann until that memorable night during a Monday Night Football game when Joe suffered a career-ending broken leg after a vicious blind side hit from defensive end Lawrence Taylor, of the New York Giants. Jay won the starting position that year and the next year (1986) led the Redskins to a 12-4 record and NFC title game where the Giants shut them out 17-0. When Jay was plagued by a shoulder injury the following season, Doug Williams led the Redskins to a Super Bowl XXII championship.
Reflecting on his illustrious career and the strength of his throwing arm, Jay stared at his egg-sized Super Bowl ring and said something profound: “God has given each of us a unique talent to use for His glory…,” he paused and all was quiet, suspense building, “…I can throw things far.”
What! That’s it! Is that all you’ve got Jay? You throw things far? But God used Jay’s strong arm to give him the opportunity to minister to athletes from professional all the way down to high school level for the past three decades!
Each of us has a unique skill set as a gift from God or developed over time and experience. We all have our place in this grand kingdom drama.
What abilities do you have? Where does your piece fit into God’s puzzle? No ability is too small for the God who gave it to you to use mightily!
