To Whom Much is Given
This week my husband, Doug, celebrated his birthday, so I am dedicating this blog post to him.
One of Doug’s favorite phrases is “…to whom much is given, much is required”. The phrase is actually from a parable Jesus told his disciples in Luke 12:42-48. I will let you read the passage for yourself, but the key takeaway is that the realization of how much God has given us (His love, salvation, spiritual and natural gifts), comes with a responsibility to use those gifts to bless others and honor God. Not out of obligation, but from a revelation of how much has been lovingly and generously bestowed on us.
Doug has always been generous with his love of music and has a deep-seated desire to share his knowledge with others. Long before he became a Christian, Doug was significantly impacting the lives of his students, well beyond the realm of music. But it was only after becoming a follower of Christ that the gift of music became a much more sacred thing to him. He realized that God had anointed him (or set him apart for a holy purpose) and this gift had a higher purpose than just bringing joy or pleasure to himself and others.
One of Doug’s favorite things is to teach a few times a year at “celebrity” guitar camps. People come from around the world to learn from their guitar heroes up close and personal for a few days. Doug has been blessed to be part of these camps for several years, and honestly, I think he loves it as much as the campers. He invests himself into teaching from his wealth of knowledge and pours himself out over and over again. While Doug is beloved as an instructor at the camp, more than his musical ability or knowledge, people love that he is a genuinely humble, nice guy.
Sharing his gifts gives Doug the chance to build relationships with people all over the world, and from all walks of life. He never imposes himself or his beliefs, but through relationship and genuine affection, he has the opportunity to pray for them and support them in the challenges of life.
Doug also invests himself selflessly into the businesses, dreams and aspirations of people he encounters in the music industry. He genuinely wants to see them succeed and does all he can to partner with them, with little or no return. (More than once he has been accused of ‘giving away the farm’.)
Anyone who knows Doug will tell you that he doesn’t thump his Bible or get all weirdly religious. He continues to teach, impart knowledge and encourage people in their pursuit of music and creativity just as he always has. But the foundation has changed to a basis that God rescued him, loves him and a desire to share that love with others.
He doesn’t know I’m writing this and would probably be embarrassed at being called out. And that’s exactly as it should be. When we use our gifts to honor God, it is an act of worship. He places gifts in our hands to use to bless others and give Him glory. And when we do, he blesses us – so we can be even more of a blessing.
