The Various Talents of Colored Rectangles

There is a game called Thomas Was Alone in which Thomas, a red rectangle, traverses through a series of platforming puzzles. Along his journey, Thomas meets other rectangles, some taller or wider or bigger or smaller than others, all different colors. Some of them can jump higher than others, and some of them can fit through smaller spaces than others. A few of the rectangles even have special abilities, like being able to swim. Most of the puzzles require the rectangles to work together, with some rectangles forming staircases for those who can't jump very high, smaller rectangles slipping through narrow spaces to activate switches, and swimmers carrying non-swimmers across dangerous pools of water. It's a single-player cooperative game, and watching someone play it on Youtube has taught me a valuable lesson.

We all have our own various skills and abilities. Most of us can do the same things everyone else can do, and some of us are more talented at those things than others. For example, most of us can carry things, but some of us can carry heavier things than others. Most of us can talk, but some of us can speak more clearly or eloquently than others. Even just looking at the basic human abilities, we each have varying levels of skills, and that's part of what makes us each unique.

Some of us have special abilities or talents as well, most of which were gained through study and practice. These talented individuals are sometimes seen as being "better" than others, but those various colored rectangles taught me that everyone has an important part to play, whether they're skilled or talented or not.

I am fortunate enough to be relatively capable. I can run, jump, and climb. I can carry heavy things. I can speak and write well, if I may say so. I can even figure out how to fix things sometimes. I'm lucky. But I wasn't given these abilities so I could gloat about them. I was given them so I could use them to help people. One thing I learned from Thomas Was Alone is that it's those who are most capable who are most frequently called upon to serve.

Another thing I learned is that needing service isn't a bad thing. We each have our own talents and abilities and we each have a place in God's plan. Sometimes, our place is to serve, and sometimes it's to help God teach others how to serve. No matter how few talents a person may have, they have enough to fill their role in God's plan. If you're one of those who don't feel particularly talented or who frequently need help, try to focus on the good that you can do, rather than on the things that you can't.

While some talented people may try to do things on their own, the truth is that we all need help from time to time, and we are each occasionally asked to help others in whatever way we can. We each have skills in different areas, and we often need to work together to accomplish our goals. So, let's look for way we can help each other, and try not to grumble when we find them. Let's try to accept that we're not good at everything, and to develop whatever talents we have. Let's all give and receive service as the Lord would want us to, whether that means giving generously, receiving graciously, or both. We all can help, and we all need help, so let's all help each other.