Mary Baker Eddy gives mankind a spiritual rule for right progress when she says in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 6), "The talents He gives we must improve;" and (p. 323), "If 'faithful over a few things,' we shall be made rulers over many; but the one unused talent decays and is lost."
Did not Jesus point out clearly in the parable of the talents that diligence, obedience, and gratitude should be experienced to guard even one talent from possible loss? Paul, too, felt the need of counseling his young friend Timothy in this regard, for he said, "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." He realized, evidently, that Timothy's outstanding talent for the Christian ministry should be protected from the disintegrating beliefs of the times. All may ponder profitably the counsel of these great spiritual teachers, for now, as then, material distractions, apathy, or unsound doctrines often claim to hinder the proper unfolding of God-given talents or abilities.
But someone may say disconsolately, "I have no talent," or, "There is no opportunity to use my talents, for no one wants what I have to give." Plaintive attitudes such as these find correction in Mrs. Eddy's loving instruction (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, p. 195), "To do good to all because we love all, and to use in God's service the one talent that we all have, is our only means of adding to that talent and the best way to silence a deep discontent with our shortcomings."
