"Using All Your Talents to the Fullest" (from my book THE POWER OF BEING DIFFERENT)
Dennis Waitley wrote the following story in Insight:
“The Scriptures tell of a story of a master of a wealthy estate
who gave some of his fortune to three of his servants. To the
first servant he gave five talents; to the second, three talents;
to the third servant he gave one talent. A talent in those
days was a measure of money. He told the three servants to
‘cherish and utilize to the fullest what had been given.’ And
after one year he would check with them to see what they
had done.
“The first servant invested his money in different
businesses. The second servant bought materials and made
things to sell. The third servant took his talent and hid it
and saved it. After one year the master saw that the first
servant, through his investing, had now 25 talents. The
second servant had built his up to 15 talents, which made
the master happy. So he asked the third servant what had
become of his one talent. The servant exclaimed, ‘I was
afraid to misuse the talent, so I carefully hid it. Here it is!
I am now giving it back to you in the same condition as
free time? Most of us do, but what would you do in your
free time to find greater success?
While growing up, I can remember my father working
three jobs to support our family. I don’t remember him ever
relaxing or hanging around the house. He worked hard. I
learned of his hard work when I used to go with him after
school to clean oil burners. Believe me, he earned every
cent he was paid. COPYRIGHTED 2005 JOHN P. CARINCI
when you gave it to me!’ The master was very mad. ‘Thou
wicked and slothful servant. How dare you not use the gift
that I gave you?’”
Here is an encouraging estimate: people in America
can often live to be 85 or 90. Today’s newborn will have the
benefits of medical science that will enable them to live to
be 100 to 110.
We are very fortunate today to be able to live long,
healthy, and productive lives. Our forbearers often died
from fever, pneumonia, and even childbirth, which killed
many women and children. Imagine living centuries ago
when a good life meant living only into your thirties.
Imagine ending your opportunities by age thirty.
The person who is 70 today is often healthier than a
person 60 years old who lived in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Today, it’s not unheard of for a 75-year-old to run New York
City’s 26-mile marathon and to finish. Though you always
have dangers around you that can cut your life short, the
statistics are in your favor to live a healthy and active life
into old age.
Can you appreciate the fact that you will probably have
more time on this great earth than your ancestors? Or do
you waste and undervalue your life? Do you wish for more
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