Talent is Never Enough

by Rob Warlick

Our creator has blessed each of us with talents- gifts/abilities in various areas that are to be used for His glory. (The ability to write is not one He blessed me withJ)  Each of us has different strengths.  Some of which has been witnessed in this past CITY ON THE HILL and in previous years. Some of us are gifted with playing the piano, some with organization, others with charisma, and some with the ability to act or speak.  Some have more than one talent, some have barely one.  We all have talent, yet each of us are different.

So the questions then rise: Are the people with more talents more successful or better than those with simply one? Are those talented in certain areas more successful then those in other areas?  Is success based on talent alone? 

I would hope your answer is no. I mean obviously, if that were the case then why in the world is Michael Jackson rich and famous?  Sike, that’s not where I’m headed with this, I am not talking about the untalented lucky ones, I am talking about you.  I am talking about me.  We all have talents and we need to recognize that those talents alone will not ensure success or effectiveness.

So what will? If talent is not enough, then what are the missing factors?

We’ll talk about three of the eleven factors John Maxwell covers in his newest book, “Talent is Never Enough.”  He gives clear examples of what needs to be added to talent to ensure your effectiveness for all that God has planned for your life…

BELIEF LIFTS YOUR TALENT– A common stumbling block for young people is the belief in themselves.  We put this self-imposed limitation on ourselves: “Oh no, I couldn’t do that!  A United States Senator? Me? Nah.  A pastor with the influence of Billy Graham? No way!” 

Charles Schwab, a successful businessman, said “When a man has put a limit on what he will do, he has put a limit on what he can do.” Dream big, my fellow Senators!

The way we break free from this limitation is to believe.  Not just in yourself, but in God’s plan for you.  Dream big, set lofty goals, and if you come short…so what? When you’re shooting for the stars, missing ain’t too shabby.

CHARACTER PROTECTS YOUR TALENT – This section could be an article in itself.  What is talent if not done right?  Many people miss this, especially those who struggle with pride.  So many talented individuals are using their gifts for the wrong reasons.  It becomes destructive to them and those they influence.  And I’m not just talking about using the gift of music to play in a heavy-metal band.  I’m talking about being focused on your ability to speak and missing personal integrity. Ouch.

Think about it.  Without character, your talent doesn’t have substance.  An ability to lead worship is only God-honoring when coupled with humility, stewardship, etc.

Character applies to everything.  Why are many universities are introducing new classes called “Business Ethics”?  Ethics is ethics whether it’s concerning lying to your parents or stealing from your boss.

Character comes first. What is talent worth without the backing of character?

INITIATIVE ACTIVATES YOUR TALENT – Just because you believe that you can do big things, and you may even have the character to back your talent, what good is it if you don’t do something with it?  Especially us young people- we need to take advantage of every opportunity we can to get us into the right direction.  It is our responsibility to lead ourselves and have initiative.  We need to be intentional with our future.

John Maxwell, leadership guru and author of the book from which these concepts come from, said, “It’s not necessarily the fastest who wins, it’s the one that starts first.”

Get moving, young people! God has big plans for your life.  It’s high time for us to use the talents God has blessed us with and do with them as He would have us to do. 

Believe in God’s plan – set BIG goals and trust in the God of your future.  Develop your character- your abilities will stand strong on a foundation of principle. And be Intentional- greatness doesn’t happen by accident. And in order to lead others, you must first lead yourself. 

In the next few leadership nugget section, we hope to equip you with the tools necessary to be most effective in whatever God has planned for your life.