Even Moses started out as a Basket Case!

Even Moses started out as a Basket Case!

Well, I am back on the subject of talents again. I know, I know, 2 blogs in a row.

I don’t really know why but it seems to be what I am being led to write about talents or our lack of them. Maybe it is because I am going through the candidacy process for ministry that it keeps showing up in my blog. I am definitely someone that is lacking in so much. I thank God that I have so many examples in the Bible, where God used the least talented people to serve His purposes. In most cases, I think God used the one that was willing to be used and by using someone who had no talents to accomplish His purposes, all glory would be God’s, as it should be, and not man’s.

When God uses someone less talented like me to accomplish His purposes, the unsaved and the doubters take much more notice. I am glad Moses started out as a "Basket Case" and even required Aaron to speak for him. God provided him with all that he needed to do His will. That gives me tremendous hope not in my own abilities, but in God’s grace to help me.

We are all born with zero talents. I know many of you might would disagree. Everything that we know how to do and whatever abilities we have, are learned. Have you ever seen these kids that know the geography of their country at age 2? How about the kid that can read, do math problems or play an instrument at a very early age? These are all learned abilities. These are abilities, that their parents had the interest in teaching them, which created the interest in the child.

So, how does that relate to God and our relationship to Him? By the time we reach adulthood, we have learned many things and developed many abilities. Some of these abilities are useful in God’s work. I think the lesson that the Bible had is that if we are given an ability, we are supposed to make use of it and multiply it. In other words, we are to gain additional abilities that we need to be successful in God’s purposes. I think that just like when these parents teach these infants abilities that are normally associated with someone much older, so our Father in heaven will guide us and teach us if we are listening. We are His children and His wisdom definitely exceeds our understanding.

I think what Jesus said in Matthew is a good example of our Father’s love and desire to help us serve and glorify Him. "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9-11 NIV

So, we are to pray that God would give us the gifts that we need to do His will. In my case the gifts I need are many. Really high on the list for me is the ability to stay on task and not to be distracted by the things of this world.

My wife says that I have squirrel disease. For those of you without small children and would not normally watch children's movies, I highly recommend seeing the movie "UP".  It has a good message about life. In the movie, a dog is able to talk because he has a special collar that translates barking into speech. Almost every time this dog starts to talk in the movie, he thinks that he sees a squirrel and stops mid-sentence and looks around and says “Squirrel”. So, when my wife says that I have squirrel disease she is putting me in the category of dogs and toddlers that are easily distracted. She is so very right. (Just don’t tell her I said so.)

I think Jesus knew how to handle the distractions of this world best. He would often go off and be alone with God. I think His disciples and many of His followers may have thought that Jesus had squirrel disease as well. Many times, someone would be speaking about Jesus and they would say something that in modern English would equate to “ Where is He? He was just here!” When they would search and find him, He would have gone off somewhere to be alone so that He could talk to God.

At least with Jesus when He wandered off was actually on task and doing what He was supposed to be doing, which is what we are supposed to be doing. Unfortunately, my distractions and probably your distractions are not of that type. How easy is it to just plop down on the couch and watch a mindless show and waste away the hours? That may not be your weakness, but we all have one of some kind or another.

Besides not being able to stay on task, I also lack the boldness that I should have. I also lack the writing, speaking and teaching skills. That only scratches the surface of all the abilities I need to be an effective disciple. I pray every day for help in all areas. The few people that actually read my blog or any other things I write, say that I am improving very quickly. I promise you that is not all me. I know that God is helping me to get better.

So, here I am. I am the "Basket Case" that struggles to keep making progress and moving forward. I think that we are all too busy doing all the things that don’t matter so much, that we create our own basket. To change an old expression.. You made your basket , so now you have to lie in it.

It is my hope that we all take time to slow down and to listen. Spend a little time several times a day talking to God. Combine that with Bible study and loving and serving others and I think you might find the prescription to reduce the size of your basket of troubles. If your basket is like mine, it is full of doing too much that just really will not matter in the end.

Blessings,
Robbin