Jump Start # 3431

Psalms 139:14 “I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.”

I spent most of the day in the hospital recently. It wasn’t about me. My sweet daughter was having a baby, a little girl. This becomes the twelfth grandchild in our family and there is still one to be born early next year. Indeed our quiver is full.

As I held that tiny little baby, shortly after she was born, so small, so soft, so adorable, my mind was racing with all kinds of thoughts. What kind of person will she become? Will she one day teach children in Bible classes as her mother does? Will she some day have her only little baby?

She was born as the war drums are beating loudly in the Middle East. I wish we could have presented a better world for her, but I am so thankful that she will grow in a home where her parents, and two older sisters love the Lord and make God a priority in their lives. What an advantage she will have. She will be in worship services before she can even talk. She will hear the saints of God praising His holy name. She will hear God’s divine word preached. Little as she is, she won’t understand or know these things, but it is an environment that she is being placed in that is good, righteous and helpful.

The Psalmist in our verse today was expressing great joy and thankfulness for the very way he was made. And, that itself is a wonderful thought for us.

First, beyond male and female, God has gifted us with talents, abilities, opportunities and wired us just the way He desired. The apostle said that God has “determined  their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation” (Acts 17). Why are we in this generation? Why not a hundred years ago? Why not back in the first century? God determined that. And, more than that, God has placed within each of us different talents and gifts. Throughout our lives we can build upon those, develop those and grow those gifts.

Some have an artistic touch. They look at a blank canvas and see a picture before they ever pick up a paint brush. The rest of us struggle to draw a straight line across a piece of paper. Some can enter a room and move furniture around, add a few touches here and there and totally give that room a new and beautiful look. Others wouldn’t know where to start. Some can take a piece a paper and write a few sentences upon that paper, and it becomes a great story or a moving sermon. Others would be staring at that blank paper all day trying to think of what to write. Some have an ear for music. Some are tone deaf. Some have a gift to fix things. Some are all thumbs. Why is it that way? Much has to do with what God has gifted us with and then recognizing our strengths we build upon that.

Second, early in life it is hard to know what your gifts are. Often a person has to try things and even fail at things before he knows what he is good at. We all have a natural bent or leaning, and finding that can lead to what one will do in life. Taking that chance, risk, letting the little boat sail from the dock, allows a person to know whether or not he is good at something. I have always thought that it is good to introduce children to music and sports. In time, typically, one will excel and shine in one area more than another. But you don’t know, until you try. And, often, it takes more than just one try.

When we look at people who are really good at what they are doing, be it a singer, an artist, an athlete, a salesman, a doctor, a mechanic, you will find a person who has poured hours upon hours into learning, fine tuning and developing his talent.

Third, the words of parents can help or hurt the development of talents. My four children all have the gift of music. That came from their mother. I’ve told people that every band has a bus driver, and that’s me. Encouraging your child to flower in her own talents is important. Your child may go down roads you never have. Your child may have an interest in things you do not. You don’t want your child to be you, because he can’t. Only you can be you. So, you may have to learn the rules of soccer or hockey. You may, as I have, lean over to my wife, as ask her what language my son is singing in? Is that Italian, I have asked her. The talents of your child may be unlike yours. I am the first in my family to preach. I am thankful for the encouragement that my parents gave to me to chase this dream. When one of my sons wanted to pursue preaching, it was so much easier, because he has grown up seeing the ins and the outs of preaching.

But shutting the door, even before your child has a chance to try, is discouraging. As a parent, there are practices and games to attend. There are performances that you’ll sit in an auditorium watching. There are costs. There’s a huge time commitment. And, running through all of this, is the importance of putting the Lord first. That creates some challenges. Games on Sundays. Practices on Wednesday nights. Conversations with coaches, teachers and others often has to take place. Your child may fight you on some of these things, but you are showing a conviction that you want your child to appreciate and develop as well.

Welcome, sweet little, Kaylee Joy. You are a gift from Heaven and a bundle of joy. Our wishes and prayers are with you and your wonderful family.

Much love,

Roger (PJ)