Family camp 2021 youth lesson for Day 2: Talent transformation
“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.” — Romans 12:6-8 (NIV)
Nina Camp’s mother embraced her ability with a sewing machine and fabric, transforming countless bedsheets into two-inch bandages that she would donate to local hospitals and oversees for missionary work.
“I remember being four or five and racing to her sewing machine every time she prepared for a project,” said Camp, of Watsontown, in central Pennsylvania. “It was decades ago, but I remember bandage rolling parties, as we used to call them. It was my mother’s way of serving as a missionary overseas without being able to physically go herself.”
Nina’s mother passed on her talents, and her desire to serve abroad.
“I remember my mother pushing these books for me to read, stories on Mozambique and who knows where else,” Nina said. “My mother was still alive when I was in Alaska for a mission trip for the first time. I remember be saying to me that she was proud of me doing what she always dreamed of – going on a missions trip.”
Nina also received opportunities to assist others via the sewing and quilting talents passed down by her mother.
“One of the ladies in our church approached me about creating dresses from pillow cases to hand out during missions trips to the Philippines. They were basically very simple dresses with tie strings, and we wound up making like 200 of them. We got to thinking that it was unfair we helped dress these girls but didn’t have options for the boys, so we started making shorts in various sizes for them.
“At one point, we got to see pictures of the kids, and they were all smiling about their new clothes. I could tell they really appreciated it.”
In November of 2017, after her husband passed away, Nina was approached about the possibility of creating something for a fundraiser for an Alaskan ranch ministry. She and her daughter started piecing together a quilt that sold and started a new tradition of serving using their talents.
“Last year, we did a quilt featuring an eagle with scriptures that was really popular. My daughter also asked me to make one for an Elk County Alliance raffle – it was a queen-sized quilt with a huge elk that went for $1,100,” Nina said. “We have sold quilts through auction at our church that help with Alaskan mission trips that bring in between $300 and $800.”
The global COVID pandemic of 2020 provided yet another opportunity for Nina to use her abilities with sewing to help co-workers and others who were struggling in the healthcare industry.
“Last spring, I was laid off from my job as a respiratory therapist due to the pandemic. Sewing masks was one thing that I could still do, so I produced over 1,000 masks,” she said. “Then last summer, my daughter shared about a need for scrub caps, which were in short supply. I was able to make roughly 400 to 500 scrub caps and donated them to people in the hospital to wear.
“It was one small thing I could do – at least, to me, it felt small. It only took like 18 minutes from start to finish to make one. Yet, they became so important for the healthcare workers. One of them asked for a Star Wars scrub cap for one of the doctor, others asked for specialized ones, too. For doctors and nurses facing such stressful situations, these caps added a little color, a little relief they so desperately needed.”
Considering the constant barrage of stress workers faced at Evangelical Hospital, and wanting to provide a reminder of God’s goodness in the midst of that chaos, Nina and her daughter made a log cabin cross quilt, but in the midst of construction at the hospital, the quilt got put aside.
“I started asking around where the quilt had gotten, and it was found that the chaplain had it – he wasn’t letting anyone toss it away. It was hung then so that many of the employees could see it in a very prominent area of the hospital,” Nina said. “So many said to me afterward what an inspiration that quilt was, especially at that time around the holidays.”
Nina continues to look for ways to use her God-given abilities to help others, knowing the ministry offers her own sort of missions field to provide inspiration and spread God’s Word and His love.
“While my mother was great at sewing, for me, the quilting ability was self-taught. God placed it there, but I had to polish it, keep working on and improving myself,” she said. “We all have specific God-given talents. We can sit and do nothing with them, or we can polish them, make them better and offer them back to God.”
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In the middle of Matthew 25, Jesus shares a parable that illustrates the dangers of neglecting the gifts, talents and special abilities that God has given us. Consider the story from verses 14-30 (NIV):
14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”
As Jesus suggests through this story, our gifts/talents require our attention and effort. While God gives everyone specific abilities and talents, not everyone pursues them, improves them, hones them and gives them back to God by helping further His kingdom here on Earth.
The imagery provided in Matthew 25:26-30 (shared above) concerning the person who neglects his gift is pretty intense. The master (representing God in our lives) calls the man out as a “wicked, lazy servant.” He takes away the gifts he gave this man and gives it to others who were better stewards of their gifts. But the master’s wrath toward this individual doesn’t stop there … he kicks the man out “into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
The implication, when transferring the metaphor to our God-given walk, is that if we neglect our talents and special abilities given by God, that He will turn away from us. Would this exchange possibly impact our place in Heaven? It is hard to say for sure, although the reference in Matthew 25:30 about being “thrown” into a place of darkness where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” certainly should be concerning for any of us who aren’t pursuing God’s gifts in our lives to the fullest.
However, this is just one reason we should strive to figure out our talents and then pursue them. We shouldn’t be driven just by fear of what God will do if we neglect these abilities, but also recognize some other important ripple effects.
One is how our gifts/talents can positively impact others.
Consider Nina Camp’s story, how her sewing and quilting has impacted so many in the region – many of which may not even know her. From the quilts she created that helped raise money for missions work in Alaska, to the combined 1,500 masks and scrub caps she produced during the pandemic, to the countless pillowcase dresses and shorts that have clothed children in the Philippines to the cross-focused quilt she created that inspired many who saw it hanging at Evangelical Hospital.
A few simple ingredients – fabric, elastic, a sewing machine – were transformed by God via His willing servant Nina Camp into a modern day five loaves/two fish/feed the multitude moment.
We never know how far the ripples will go from one moment of humbly offering our gifts and talents for God’s usage, and how many we will impact in His name.
Finally, discovering, using and honing our personal gifts and talents – bestowed by God – directly impacts us personally.
A 2014 Gallup poll showed that people who use their personal strengths and abilities on a regular basis are typically more engaged, perform better, are less likely to leave (a job) and boost the company’s bottom line.
In addition, the research showed that these individuals showed improved health and wellness, experienced less worry, stress, anger, sadness or physical pain, had boosted positive emotions, had more energy to face their day and demonstrated a higher engagement level on the task at hand.
As an increasing number of people struggle with depression, anxiety and self-doubt, isn’t it cool that God provides a certain level of “medication” for us to treat these issues via the gifts and talents He instills in us?
Those who have wandered in their faith, who feel less engaged in church or personal time of devotion (reading the Bible, praying, etc.), can reignite their spiritual flame via the talents God has already given us. How does that process work?
First, we need to figure out what our talents and special abilities are. This isn’t always easy to do, and sometimes, people’s talents change over the course of their lives.
Discovering what your gifts are can start via a series of questions. What activities make you feel most at peace? What activities excite you the most? What things and accomplishments are you most proud of in your life?
It helps, as well, to ask questions of those closest to you – your parents, trusted friends, a youth group leader, etc. Questions like: What do you feel I am best at? Where am I the most help to you and others? Where do you think God wants to use me?
Beyond hyper-focused physical talents (singing, writing, painting, finances, etc.), there are categories of talents within a church ministry … each person bringing different levels to the team. Some of those traits include evangelism, teaching, prophesy, shepherding, mercy, serving, giving, exhortation and administration.
Knowing where you fall on these spectrums can also help you find your best place to make a difference. A good online tool for discovering your abilities in these areas is the Spiritual Gifts Survey, found here: https://gifts.churchgrowth.org/spiritual-gifts-survey/
We encourage everyone to take this survey and share your results with your youth group leaders and others who know you well to have an open discussion about what the results may mean for you and your abilities.
Ultimately, we encourage every teen to make a conscious effort to identify and cultivate the talents, gifts and abilities God has given them – not only to please God and to positively impact others, but also to lead a move fulfilling life personally and recharge their connection with Him.