PARABLE OF THE TALENTS

PARABLE OF THE TALENTS
by Timothy Rollins, Editor and Publisher

October 24, 2002

In a departure from the political beat, I am choosing to focus on one of my favorite lessons from childhood. It comes from Matthew 25 in the New Testament where the parable of the talents is taught. Unto one was given five talents, unto another two and unto the other, one. The sad thing I always found was that the fellow that had been given one was that he failed to see the value of the one talent and hid it; consequently, he was condemned of the Lord for failing to make the most of what he had been given.

In the personal odyssey I've had the pleasure of taking the last three years and change, it has been both my pleasure and joy to have learned a great deal - not only about others, but also about myself as well; some of it was pleasant, and some of it was downright repugnant. The good thing about all this was that it allowed me to recognize and make changes, and progress in my own life that would make it easier for other people to be around me, as well as easier for me to tolerate myself.

One of the additional perks in all of this has been the magnification of existing talents, primarily my writing. This is based on the number of hits my columns have been receiving. In addition, other talents have emerged that had either not been there or which had been in hibernation for quite some time, and this has turned out to be a very good thing indeed.

For a guy whose only seeming talents were good organization skills, writing fairly well and being a pretty good Dad, my new entry into the art of political cartooning - as evidenced by my debut cartoon (right) last Friday in The American Partisan as well as my bit part in a musical play last Saturday night, something I had not done in over 25 years, have only served to remind me that there are still many more talents beneath the surface waiting to come out and be shared.

Such is the beauty of talents and abilities; that they may be shared for the benefit of one and all - that they may be enjoyed and that one and all may learn and grow therefrom. And when you get right down to it, that is their joy and beauty - that all of us may share in their blessings and be edified thereby. ***

Photo of Timothy Rollins courtesy of staff files
Secret Iraqi Ballot Cartoon courtesy of staff files