s not
When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required. (Luke 12:48)
Read: Deuteronomy 32:28-52, Luke 12:35-59, Psalm 78:56-64, Proverbs 12:24
Relate: Scatterbrained. That is one way to describe the man, but I don’t think it quite fits. Brilliant. It is a word far more accurate but again I think it falls far short. There is an abundance of brilliant people past and present and none of them are anything like him. While not one of my favorite historical characters, I would say that he is one of the ones I am most intrigued by. He accomplished so much that can easily put him in the pantheon of greatest and most gifted individuals of all time, but there was also so much more that he could have, should have done and just didn’t. Over and over and over again, cities were abandoned, patrons were left incensed, and works were left unfinished. If there was a top ten list of greatest works of art that never were, Leonardo da Vinci could very easily be the owner of at least half that list.
If I were to describe him, I would call Leonardo the greatest starter in the history of mankind. Over and over again he would step into a project that caught his attention. He would demonstrate his brilliance and/or talent in it, but somewhere between halfway and two thirds of the way towards completion something else would have caught his eye and that work of art, or architecture, or design, or… you name it, he could do anything but the only thing he ever really had difficulty doing was finishing. I might take a bit of heat for saying this, but I believe most of Leonardo’s talent was simply wasted. It is hard to imagine but the man who gave us the Mona Lisa, and the Last Supper, and explained why the sky is blue, and so much more wasted probably 90% of his potential.
React: Imagine Leo getting to heaven’s gates and God saying to him, “I asked you to paint the Adoration of the Magi, and the Virgin and Child. You didn’t even finish the Last Supper. What happened?” If Leonardo were to answer, “Yes, but look at what I did with the Mona Lisa,”I could imagine God responding right back, “That’s not what I asked.”
I will never be able to paint the Mona Lisa and that’s OK. God hasn’t called me to paint the Mona Lisa. He hasn’t gifted me to paint the Mona Lisa. If I were to spend my life wishing I were talented enough to paint the Mona Lisa, I would be wasting my life just as badly as Leonardo wasted his. How has God gifted me? What are my talents? What am I doing with them? God knows what I can do and what I should be doing. He is after all the one who both gifted and commissioned me. What He demands of me is that I be faithful to complete the task set before me. He demands the same of you. Let us not look at the talents we wish we had or pine away for the gifts that are not ours but instead do the best we can with what we have. That is all God expects from us.
Respond:
Dead God,
I am so thankful for the gifts and talents, the passions and motivations You have given me. When I look around at others, it can become easy to either be proud or despondent. Help me not to measure my work by other people’s giftings. Help me to avoid that comparison trap. You know what I can do and You know how well I am doing it. Let me live and work and strive and follow in such a way that, when I stand before You, I will hear, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”
THE RIVER WALK 
It can be so difficult to stop the comparing game. In a world where ‘fitting’ in is so important, we tend to forget we have our own unique talents and gifts. Thanks for the reminder
“Let us not look at the talents we wish we had or pine away for the gifts that are not ours but instead do the best we can with what we have.”
Amen. Each of us occupies a small space we were made fill. There is great peace in that reminder.
I think that I will get back to some of those half-finished projects that I left sitting. Thanks for I too want to hear the Lord say “well done.”
Thank you.
Reblogged this on Chase's Thoughts And Viewpoints and commented:
This is an excellent piece on what not to do with the potential that God has given you.
This post was so very helpful to me today. I write about abortion, which is a morbid subject at best. But my thoughts about it focused just this morning and I am here to write. Your post helped me understand that I am meant to.
On second thought, am I wasting my time by throwing myself after lost lives? No. Because the throwing myself after them comes naturally. Right now I am starting to writing about moving on. It’s been 25 years.
Reblogged this on importantstuff and commented:
My story is starting, fizzling, and seldom finishing what God has expected me to accomplish. Why? This post explains it perfectly.
Very well written and hits home run with me. Reblogged this on Importantstuff.live and commented:
My story is starting, fizzling, and seldom finishing what God has expected me to accomplish. Why? This post explains it perfectly.
Reblogged this on ChristianBlessings and commented:
Are we paralyzed waiting to know our giftings while we witness the exploits others are doing? Are we blinded by other’s attainments? Let us be true to God’s calling to us – what is in your hands? Do it and He will give light for the next.
Amen and amen. Oh Lord help me to use all that you deposited in me for your glory. Help me to bring treasures out of this earthen vessels for your glory Lord. Thank you so very much. Permission to reblog please. Thanks
Reblogged this on Joan Sanusi and commented:
Oh Lord my God help me to use all that you deposited in me for your glory. Help me to bring treasures out of this earthen vessels for your glory Lord. Father make room for me, enlarge the place of my tent that I may have room to display your love, glory, and power bestowed before the foundations of the earth was laid. Help me Holy Spirit.
Amen
Reblogged this on Truth Troubles: Why people hate the truths' of the real world.
Wonderful piece of writing!!
We should not compare ourselves with others or the vice versa for each one of us has been given a unique quality by the omnipotent and we should harness it.
Hi! I just started blogging today so I’m pretty much LOST. Sooo I really did appreciate that you stopping by. Your posts are really inspiring especially this one. I’m glad that you’re a great person spreading the word of the lord. God bless you 🙂
Welcome to the community. 🙂
Amen! However, some where in my travels I read he was plagued with depression. Thank you so much for visiting me. Can you teach me the trick of embedding a video into my blog? I can’t do it. Keep up the great work!
He didn’t write of it but there is a good amount of evidence that he was. True on not I think his constantly jumping from project to project is a result of ADD. I sense a kindred spirit.
For embedding videos select add media. When a list pops up chose the option “insert video from url” viola.
Reblogged this on The Life Meaning.
Great post, thanks
Lifework Foundation, open up secret life that I have meant to live and helped me to overcome most issues in my life. if interested to find out more about them I included the link. I am not trying to promote someones blog on your page, just offering a helpful free advice. PS they offer FREE online course – https://lifeworkfoundation.com
I will leave the link up but I did swing over and just from the front page knew it wasn’t worth my time. Our love is not the same as our “energy” whatever that is.
Thank you for this post. Blessings to you.
Totally agree with the post about making the best of what we have. Check out the following link in which the first lady of the United States emphasises on making the most of what we have