Leviticus 2:9
And the priest shall take from the grain offering its memorial portion and burn this on the altar, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the Lord.
Truth: It doesn't matter the type of gift we offer, any gift is a pleasing aroma to the Lord. In our society we have put a lot of emphasis on the talented. Those with the most talent get much more honor in our society. That thought is probably played out in the athletic field of competition than any other field. Those with the most athletic ability get more honor and are viewed as special. Kids flock to get the autograph of the athlete on the field not the grounds person on the field. The financial world also honors those who are talented with making money. That is a talent. We seek them out and ask them to make us money ... and we pay them ... thus making them more money. Talent wins in Hollywood, as well. We love to watch talented actors and actresses play their part and we honor them with red carpet treatment. However, it should be noted that God is not blown away by talented people. God only expects the most talented to use that talent for Him and worship Him with it. BUT, He also expects those of less "talent" to use what they have to honor Him. In the above passage we see the "grain" offering is to be "a pleasing aroma to the Lord." In the preceding chapter and verses we are told that a pure lamb from the heard is to be "a pleasing aroma to the Lord." It doesn't matter the type of offering, it all needs to be presented to God, no matter if it is a lamb, some grain, or a small bird (Leviticus 1:14). God gives us talent for us to honor and worship Him with it. Not for us to be honored with it. God gives talent to EVERYONE. We make a judgment on good talent verses lesser talent. God, however, gives us the talent He wants us to have and we have the obligation to present it back to Him in worship. Jesus' parable of the talents bears this out. It is not the size of the talent we are given but what we do with the talent through faith:
Matthew 25:14-30
“For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
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