I love watching people when they’re in their element–anything from watching my husband drum to seeing my sister teach can be so inspiring.

Given that, it’s probably not a surprise that talent became a theme in a story I’m working on. In it, an artist uses her talent with a paint to show her sister how her life could be better. A dancer takes time to dance with his girlfriend and, in so doing, shows her how much she means to him.

If you express yourself best in dance or art or writing or _______, expressing love that way is like giving a compliment in your heart language. Not only does your love come through, but, if you’re a follower of Christ, God’s love comes through, too. Think about it. Watching others complete amazing feats, especially in the name of love, should lead a person to appreciate not only the one acting, but also God who gave the actor his/her ability.

It’s important to take an early opportunity to use your skills in that way because no matter how beautiful or special a talent is, your skills are a limited-time-only gift from God. Maybe you’ll have them your whole life, or maybe you won’t. Either way, life on Earth is temporary, too.

Losing the ability to write would throw me off, even though I try to ground my identity in God. But the good news is that when you use your talents to show love–not only your own love, but also Christ’s love–you’re revealing something that won’t fade.

1 Corinthians 13:13 says, And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. (NET)

God is love. He endures, and his relationship with you is the only solid thing to which you can tie your identity. So, while you have the talents he gave you, use them to show love for others.

If you’re good at baking, why not whip something up for the neighbor? Have a knack for scrapbooking? How about creating a handmade card for your parents? If you’re a writer like me, consider doing something I did recently and write a few notes of appreciation for people.

Talents are as varied as the humans that possess them. What special thing can you do for someone?