Hobby, Talent, Gift

Is there a difference between hobby, talent, and gifts? I believe there is. They are very similar so I thought I would include what Webster's dictionary has to say. Hobby is a pursuit outside one's regular occupation engaged in for relaxation. Talent is a special often creative or artistic aptitude. Gift is something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation (payment). You might wonder how gifts are even close to the other two but hang in there and let's see if we can figure this out.

I mentioned that sewing is a hobby for me. When I was a child my mom taught me to sew by hand and using a machine as well as embroidering. I am very thankful now that she took the patience to teach me. As a child I certainly was not happy about the whole thing. I was always making mistakes and spent most of my time ripping out seams. It was a great chore. But my younger sister begged for mom to teach her. Quietly inside I was also begging mom to teach her how to sew and give me a break. I wanted to be outside playing basketball. My mom also insisted that I take home economics in high school. You are right I was not happy about that either but I took it none the less. I learned the basics and did what I had to, to get through the class. But now many years later as I have retired I am thankful that my mom took the time and insisted that I learn. It has become a hobby for me. I am still not gifted like my sister but I enjoy seeing a piece of fabric turn into something beautiful that can be very useful. I can also say I have some talent because I am able to make some very interesting things. A hobby is something you do for fun.

You are born with a talent. It is something that you like doing that comes very natural to you. For example a child sets downs and draws with little effort. Before long with more practice they become very good. My brother use to be able to look at a picture and draw it with little effort. He had a talent. Not everyone can do that. I know because I can look at the same picture and when I was done you would wonder what I was looking at. I have no talent in that area. I have tried many times over the years but I even wonder what it is when I am done and I know what I am drawing. That is called lack of all talent in the area of drawing.

One thing I knew was, I could tell stories. As a younger child in a large family when the older ones came home for a visit I was the one that took the little ones outside to entertain them. I would tell them stories as well as play games. I thought everyone could tell stories but I have since found out not everyone can do that. A few years ago my younger sister says she can remember me telling her stories. While in college I took teaching classes and fell in love with teaching. A number of years after college I was given the chance to take a writing class and I jumped at the opportunity. Along with her expectations for the class she gave a list of the start of a sentence which I thought was strange. At the beginning of  she told us to pick  out one of those sentences and write a paper then gave us  a half hour. I chose one and began to write. I had a very short story by the end of the time allowed. We did this a number of times. She seemed amazed at the little effort it took me, she said I had a gift. I never even considered writing as a gift. After that there have been a number of people that have told me the same.

 The talent that you are born with is a gift from God. A gift is something that is freely given to us from God. He gave us these to help edify the church. We need to use them to build up each other, teaching and instructing others in the true way of God. Finding the best way to use your gift should be a great matter of prayer. In so doing God will guide and direct you in what to do and how to use what He gave you from the beginning. God has a purpose for all of us. Now we need to step up and do what He is asking of us. May God help you as you seek out His plan for you. Dear God may you lead us in the best way to use the gift given to us for your purpose.