My wife and I bought my son a framed poster of one of his role models for his birthday this week. The poster is of Steve “Pre” Prefontaine and has a very poignant quote from the famous runner which says, “to give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”
Steve Prefontaine wasAmerica’s top distance runner in the 1970’s when he was tragically killed in an automobile accident at the tender age of twenty-four.
Like a lot of kids, Pre was told he was too small, too short or too slow to play traditional sports like football and baseball when he was growing up. Then one day, he discovered his God given ability to run long distances and didn’t waste a day of his talent from that day on.
The New Year is just a few days away and all around the world people are making all types of resolutions, many of which will be distant memories by February first. Perhaps the best resolution is simply not to squander the God given talents that we are all blessed with.
God gave us all unique abilities; Matthew 25:14-30 tells the story of how God blesses those who utilize their talents, often with other abilities which allows them to accomplish even more. However, the story also tells us that God will forsake those that squander their abilities.
So this New Year, why not resolve not to sacrifice the gift that God has bestowed upon you.