Thoughts on Talent and Passion

Yesterday I watched a pair of my favorite dancers on the show "So You Think You Can Dance" perform an amazing contemporary piece that portrayed a love story between two friends. By the end, the judges and performers had tears in their eyes, the crowd was going wild, and I could not help but smile.

A few minutes later, I excitedly told a friend of mine about the dance. But, unlike me she wasn't too thrilled. Instead, she asked, "Why do you even get so excited about this? I don't see what the big deal is."

Her question got me thinking. Why do I love shows like this as much as I do? Why am I completely content when I see performances like this one?

Well, after much contemplation I think I've figured it out. There is a joy that wells up inside of me every time I see something like the dance last night for three main reasons.

1) I love to see people using their gifts and talents.

I can't remember a time when I didn't love this. Whether it's in the realm of art, sports, leadership or something completely different, I have always been fascinated by the variety of talent God has given people. I'm continually amazed at everything humans are capable of doing as creatures of a creative God.

2) I love to see people producing quality work.

Using the gifts you've been given is great, but what's even better is when people are using their gifts to produce quality. In our consumer culture, it's really easy to settle for mediocrity because we want things now. However, quality work is what really speaks to people. And taking this one step farther, for us as Christians, quality is what God expects of us. We are to do everything as though doing it for Him. With this in mind, I get excited when I see people living up to their potential.

3) I love to see people passionate about something.

This gets to the tears of last night. When people care about what they are doing, it shows. And more than that, their passion is contagious. I can't dance for the life of me. I don't know all of the technical terms and can't even always tell whether someone is on beat or not. But I can tell when they love what they're doing. Last night, the dancers cared. Because they cared, the judges and the crowd cared. And because of all of that, I, sitting at home on a comfy chair, cared.

For these three reasons, I enjoyed the dance last night. I can now explain to my friend why I think TV shows like "So You Think You Can Dance" matter. But more than that, I hope this challenges you to use your God-given gifts and passions. Dream big, work hard, and be the best you can be -at whatever it is you do.