What do Michael Jordan, Bill Gates, Rush Limbaugh, and you have in common?

Michael Jordan has been called the most talented athlete in the history of sports. Bill Gates is a brilliant combination of technological genius and business savvy. Rush Limbaugh is the most successful radio personality today, with a listening audience of 20 million people.

What do you have in common with them? Nothing you say? That's not true. Like each of them, you possess talents, abilities, and skills. Just because you haven't had your picture on the cover of Sports Illustrated doesn't mean that you lack talent.

All people have talents. We're born with talents and develop them throughout our lives. The issue isn't whether we have any talents or even how many or how great our skills are. The key issue is how we manage our talents. It's a matter of Christian stewardship.

From gene pool to talent pool

Our personal talents make up an important part of who we are. Talents are linked with personality traits and individual characteristics. Are you left- or right-brained, more logical or more artistic? Or, have you taken a personality profile that identifies you with letters of the alphabet or birds, such as an owl or swan? Our talents comprise just one of many interconnected traits that make us each unique.

Talents are often inherited. Children have similar talents as their parents. It's been that way since the beginning. In Genesis we learn of different families with varied talents. Jabal was called the father of those who lived in tents and raised livestock. Jubal was the father of those who played the harp and flute. Tubal-Cain was a toolmaker, specializing in bronze and iron. These people had special talents and passed their talents on to their children and grandchildren. Many of our talents came to us, at least in part, via the gene pool.

In the gospels we learn about people like Peter, Andrew, James, and John who had a talent for catching fish. Zacchaeus had the ability to make money, even though it was through less than honest means. Lydia was a businesswoman who used her gift to sell specialty fabric.

Our talents can be developed and expanded through education and experience. The young pianist develops her natural talent through private lessons and practice. The electrical engineer expands his talent by continuing education and personal experience. Gifted athletes develop their skills through coaching and training. From gene pool to talent pool, we have them. But how do we use them?

From Saul to Paul