This is a guest post from a favorite reader and commenter, Corktree.
It may sound simplistic (or just serving of my purpose), but I’ve always read the parable of the talents to mean actual talents. It’s just easy to see how one might be expected to share and magnify the gifts and strengths they are blessed with in mortality with those around them. Christ didn’t hide the fact that He expected His followers to expand themselves to the limits of their sphere of influence, and He went to great lengths to show how this could be accomplished on a practical level. Consequently, we are taught from an early age to take what we are given and turn it into more.
When we think of multiplying our talents, we are limited to the ways in which we develop our skills and share the fruit of our labors with others. Tangible or intangible, many of us find ourselves pursuing something related to our innate abilities and passions, whether through work or hobby, and we cultivate and harvest based on what we put into these precious pieces of our lives.
But what about talents as money? In the parable, why is money used to illustrate Christ’s expectation of His followers? While some might argue for the need to serve with our hands verses our checkbooks, it is clear that on a global level, financial support is a necessary component of the form that charity must take to elevate and alleviate the lives of our fellow sisters and brothers.
If you’re familiar with Half the Sky, you will know that women and girls in particular benefit drastically from monetary donations in the form of loans, shop supplies, animals, uniforms, and education. Women, in general, turn each dollar into something more, and truly multiply their talents. In doing so they increase and support the economies of their communities, the health of their families, and the opportunities and worldview of their children, especially their daughters if they receive proper motivation and means to make the decisions that favor equality at the most basic levels.
For an example of what just $55 can do to change the life of one woman and her family, Plan International describes the gift of a Darfur Stove, “They’re simple, efficient and cheap to produce. . . even if they are a little bit on the plain side. But what’s most important is that these sturdy little stoves are fueled with charcoal! If women and children no longer need to gather wood, they don’t have to risk unwanted encounters with roving bands of armed men, bandits or sexual predators. Besides keeping Darfur women safer, the Darfur Stove means they also spend less time on meal preparation so they have more freedom to make money by selling food prepared on their fuel-efficient stove.”
Incredible potential from just one donation. And charcoal retail itself is becoming a growing income generator for women. This is the power of the girl effect and empowering women to do more for themselves while protecting them and their human rights. Now, what if you could combine the two? What if your talents could make money that in turn benefits women in various cultures, countries and circumstance? What if you could drastically expand your sphere of influence and impact for good simply by doing what you’re good at already?
This is the drive behind a project that my sister and I have put into action. As of Tuesday, the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, we have launched our nonprofit; a collective that turns the talents of women into hope for women. But we can’t do it alone. Like any good endeavor, it is the effort of many coming together that has the greatest impetus for change.
I am a mother at home, and an American. I have both limitless potential and limited power to create direct change in the lives of my global sisters. I also have very few tangible talents, but I’m great at organizing and task management. I’m doing what is available to me to create the greatest amount of change and opportunity for women that I can. So I invite those of you with tangible gifts to magnify that which you have and turn it into more. And for those of you with the less visual talents, spread the word! Get creative. Share the idea with your friends, your sisters, your wives, your mothers. Or come shop for a gift that truly keeps on giving. For more information and details on what we are doing with donated items and funds raised, please visit http://www.talentsofsisters.org
Corktree, I love this post, but I ESPECIALLY love that you are actually DOING something. I read *Half the Sky* last fall and found it all so horrifying and terribly disheartening. I was glad that the authors gave some suggestions/recommendations, but I still felt powerless ultimately. I love that you are doing this. Alas, I don’t make anything . . .
But I can always consume, right??
Heather, I can relate — when I think about these kinds of issues, I can get overwhelmed and turn away. My son was in a really lovely school play yesterday. It was about life’s big questions — the children were asking who is the most important person and what should we be doing with ourselves. At the end, the children talked about how the most important time is now and the most important person is the one you can help and connect with in that moment. The examples the children thought of were really beautiful and at the end they stood in a line with their arms around each other and sang “Lean on Me.” :) I think this project captures this spirit, the time is now.
Thanks Heather. The part that got me so excited about this idea was that it puts us all in the position to help in equal ways that can ultimately make a larger impact. It doesn’t work without the consumers. :)
Thank you, Corktree … for writing and for doing. Knowing that human beings care like this creates a worldview of human goodness and makes the place feel more like home. Your site looks very nice and I love the “Talents of Sisters” title and proposition. I also have thought of talents as talents and long felt that the coin view was the more simplistic … which I think was the general idea of a parable. Beautiful, multi-fasceted meaning. And as I read what you wrote about Jesus’ intention that his people add value to everything around, it reminded me of the revolutionary nature of the message. It’s not, go, work, add value for “the man.” It’s go, be, make the world more beautiful — that what you are. At least that’s what inspires me now.
Thanks Matt. I do love the different levels of the parables. No matter what, they will always be what they are, and they do add to a better view I think.
I love this. I often think that failure to recognize our talents and really use them is the opposite of humility (in an odd sort of way). There’s a grace in recognizing and accepting ourselves – all of our strengths and weaknesses – that makes us very powerful and humble at the same time. It’s like knowing wisely where to invest our energy and wasting none of it.
I often look at my blessings and wonder how to help. Thank you for the good example and the inspiration.
Thank you Laurie. I like what you say about the grace of recognizing and accepting ourselves – something I still struggle with, but it does help to find something that uses one in a way that makes a difference and to acknowledge the power that comes from that.
I still am blown away by the charity and thoughtfulness that has gone into this creation Corktree. You inspire me!
“limitless potential and limited power”, I loved that. It’s so true. We can effect change in the world if we choose to, but it’s only when we do it together, combine efforts, that it really becomes phenomenal. Beautifully written.