Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3: 12-17)
Last night I had the opportunity to relax with friends at one of my favorite locations in Knoxville, The Bijou Theatre. What I witnessed on the stage was a combination of pure talent, hard work, incredible energy, and pure joy. It was my first time to see the Punch Brothers perform and I was very impressed.
I have been focused recently with our parish on the idea that we all have been given gifts and that God’s plan for us is that we maximize those talents for his glory. What I witnessed last night is a wonderful example of what it means to recognize the talents that have been given to us and to do all we can to return them to God even better than how they were when he first gave them to us. It is often said that there is nothing we can do for God, since there is nothing that he needs. Even though he has no need of us, I believe strongly that he does desire us to love him with all our hearts. One way to show that is through the appreciation of what we have been given.
