It started off with a game of charades. The rules of acting out a word or phrase without speaking remain the same, but we were given a specific category of actions to adhere to. It was amazing how some of our competitiveness were shown as soon as the room was divided into two teams. We were all given an individual chance to act out our talents, what we’re capable of or rather anything that we have a flair in doing. As each round went by, the teams grew louder and louder, each of us shouting anything that first comes to mind.
Well, the main aim of this game besides being an icebreaker, was to discover our talents as well as find out if anyone of us share similar talents that we never knew about. God gave each and everyone of us distinct capabilities and talents. Our responsibility is to be able to use that talent for a greater good. I guess the question that we have to ask ourselves is, what is holding us back from doing something with our talents that could help others? They don’t necessarily have to be people in desperate need, but what we are blessed with could be something that is seeked by another.
Here’s a short paragraph from the bible (Matthew 25:14) that was presented during the session, which related to our previous activity and also was what our discussion was based on.
The Parable of the Talents
14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talentsa]">[a] of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
After the short slideshow of the bible verses above, off we went into our usual spots for our discussions. Among the answers that we came up with as to why we were holding back were that we didn’t have the time or we were just plain lazy. Another one was where we thought that we are just not good enough to be of need to someone else. Regardless of whether this is an excuse that we create for ourselves or not, this relates very much to the parable above, where the lazy servant was too afraid and chose to hid his talent in the ground. The parable only teaches us that what we give to God, if we were to do so, we will receive in abundance. Among others were reasons of us wanting to be in control of our lives. We do not want to live by instructions. We do not want to have someone in control of our lives because it’s our life and we want to be able to decide for ourselves.
We discovered many things about one another that night and we also made the first move into trying to do something for others. Stations were set up for us to write our names down in areas where we have interests in such as lectoring, music, alter serving, or even volunteer work. It was great to see that many of us were willing to help in our own ways.
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