Gifts: A Parable

Several years ago, a girl was gifted with an instrument by a friend. Her friend had found the instrument, which had been unused for several years, and gave it away, knowing how much the girl loved music. The instrument needed a little work, but it was still a fine object. The girl accepted the gift with excitement and gratitude, and took it home with her. Once she got it home, however, she opened the case and stared with dismay at the instrument before her. She didn’t know how to play it, and the last time she had tried she had failed. She didn’t know how to replace the worn pieces, and couldn’t remember even the most basic thing about playing it! The girl tucked the case away in a corner of her room and tried to forget about it. Every now and then, she would look at it, collecting dust, still unused, and feel ashamed for never putting her gift to use. But in the end, her fears that it would be too difficult and she would fail again would get the best of her, and she would end up leaving it where it was.

Not long after, another girl was gifted with an instrument by a friend. This friend had likewise found her instrument, unused for several years, and given it away, knowing how much the girl loved music. This one also needed a little work, but was a fine instrument. Knowing that she didn’t have the power to fix it herself, she handed her instrument over to a master to replace the worn parts. The girl could not wait to try out her new instrument. As soon as she got the repaired instrument home, she opened the case and gazed at the instrument with joy and wonder. Asking for help from someone who knew about these things, she quickly got her instrument assembled and began experimenting with making tones. She dedicated herself to lessons, and practiced every chance she got. Her natural gift for the instrument quickly shone through. Her music lifted the spirits of all who heard her.

Each of us is given gifts by the Spirit, and we have the same choice to make as the girls in the stories had to make. Some of the gifts we are given seem completely beyond our ability. They may be things we have tried to do before, and failed at. They may be difficult, or cause us to have to replace some worn parts in our lives. But we must decide: Will we leave God’s gifts standing in the corner of our hearts, collecting dust, unused and neglected, and clinging to our fears? Or will we receive our gifts with joy, hand the broken parts to our Master to repair, and learn to use our gifts in a way that will lift the spirits of all who come into contact with us?