Today’s author is Naomi Sveholm. Naomi is a missionary teaching in Bratislava, Slovakia, and the Education Coordinator for the ELCA’s Central Europe Teachers program. To learn more about CET, follow us at www.facebook.com/elcacet or www.instagram.com/elcacet
As a legacy from Reformer Martin Luther, we as Lutherans recognize that nothing we do will earn us a place in heaven, but God reaches out to us even though we don’t deserve it. We are saved by God’s grace through faith. Our relationship with God changes us and we become better people.
Until just a few months ago, the ELCA logo was often accompanied by the phrase “God’s work. Our hands.” This is a call to action and service echoed in the parable of the talents. While talents were money at this time, the parable is often interpreted to refer to the gifts and talents we were all given by God.
I did not grow up thinking I would be a missionary. In fact, I still have a lot of colonial-era emotional baggage around the term missionary. What I do appreciate is the current framework of accompaniment, walking together in mutuality and interdependence. My work has been described as teaching, social work, and pastoral work depending on the background of the person hearing my stories. Doing God’s work looks different for each person and each location.
In an academic setting such as a school, students with academic talents thrive – and some amazingly creative, passionate, thoughtful people do not. These wonderful people are sometimes forced to hide their talents or are simply not placed in settings where these talents are valued. They may be successful later in life or they may find themselves flailing, struggling to find their place in the world.
To be God’s hands in the world we need to find the place where we and our talents can thrive. The world’s systems do not hold cleaning staff and bus drivers in high esteem, yet that could be exactly where a person’s talents shine. May we all see clearly each other’s abilities and talents, and truly help them grow, also working to break down systems and beliefs that conceal the talents of others.
Dear God,
You trust me with talents according to my abilities.
Help me to find my own talents and to see the talents of others in this world.
Show me how to use my talents to be your hands.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen