Scripture
“From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.”
LUKE 12:48b
Quotes/Color
“With great power comes great responsibility.”
Uncle Ben from Spiderman
“Brains are like muscles. You can rent them by the hour. The only thing that is not for sale is character…”
Antonin Scalia
“Don’t ever let your talent outpace your character.”
Dale Wallace
Context
Great quote, Uncle Ben. But Jesus said it first.
Application
A couple of hypothetical questions for you…
Question: What does loads of character with no talent make you?
Answer: Ripe with potential for God’s proper use.
Question: What does loads of talent with no character make you?
Answer: Dangerous.
Why is that?
Because talent leads to responsibility. And responsibility leads to the opportunity to affect not only your own life, but others’ lives too.
Talent –> Responsibility –> Opportunity to affect others’ lives
This is not the way it should be. But… Honestly speaking, the world will in fact reward you if you are talented, and only talented.
Talent gets you raises. Talent gets you playing time. Talent gets you responsibility and leadership. Like it or not. It is generally how the world works.
However.
If you are a person that is just bursting with talent, are always growing more gifted and celebrated, and you don’t stop to inspect your character? You don’t stop to inspect your walk with the Lord? You be careful… If you have talent and do not have character… you will prove that that responsibility and leadership you were given was misplaced.
My Uncle Ben Moment
My youth pastor pulled me aside in the 7th grade one day and gave me some encouragement on this topic that I will never forget.
Wednesday night church had finished and we were all heading to Cici’s Pizza to hang out and scarf down some mac & cheese pizza and cinnamon roles (naturally). He asked me to ride with him in his truck on the way there. And on the way there he took the time to tell me that he thought that I was a natural leader among my friends. That I was inclusive and engaging and had a way to bring people together. Really encouraging stuff.
But then he stopped and took a turn.
“And I want to tell you that because everyone has choices to make in life. If you’re an individual… good choices and taking the road less traveled add up to good things in life. Just like bad choices and taking the crowded path add up to bad things in life… But I want to encourage you and tell you that you’re a good leader right now while you’re young… Because you need to be careful… If you’re a good leader your choices don’t just affect you. Good leaders’ choices affect other people too. So be watchful of your actions.”
Something along the lines of that anyways…
That advice reminds me of the counsel that Paul gave to young pastor and mentee, Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:16:
“Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching…”
I love that advice… “Pay close attention to yourself.”
Are you inspecting your blindspots? Your vices? They are there whether your are looking for them or not.
With great power comes great responsibility.
As you grow in your giftings, you are obligated to grow in godly character. More so than even your character keeping up with your talent… your character should far outpace your talents.
If your talents and character were in a footrace, your character should be so far out front that your talents could never in their wildest dreams hope to catch up. That’s the way your life should look. And that’s the way others should see your life as well.
Prioritize making your heart and mind into one that follows the Lord first and foremost. Then let your talents follow and be used in the right way.
Something to Chew On:
- Do you prioritize the development of your talents more? Or your character?
- If your talents and your character were in a footrace starting with the beginning of your life… Which one would be out front right now? What about in the last year? The last month?
- Do you pay more “close attention” to others and areas they need to work on? Or yourself?
- What rudiments are in place in your life that develop your talents? How many of them are there? How often do you do them? Now take the same question for your character. What rhythms are in place in your life that develop your character? How many different practices do you have? How often do you do them?
GreatValue Proverb:
Never let your talent outpace your character.