There is a belief among mortals that capabilities and talents are unequally allotted to mankind by a beneficent but not always impartial creator. St.' Paul wrote in his epistle to the Ephesians (4:8, 11) that Christ "gave gifts unto men. . . . And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists." This concept of differing abilities is often wrongly interpreted to mean that because a certain talent is markedly the possession of a particular individual, the expression of other capacities is difficult for him, and that because of this he may sometimes find himself at variance with those around him.
It is quite generally accepted that one with a definite talent has been so endowed by his heavenly Father. But the belief that such a one may be lacking in other capabilities means that he must manage his life as best he can with just one heaven-bestowed talent.
Taking into account this widespread belief in many different human constitutions, Mary Baker Eddy counsels (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 224), "We should remember that the world is wide; that there are a thousand million different human wills, opinions, ambitions, tastes, and loves; that each person has a different history, constitution, culture, character, from all the rest; that human life is the work, the play, the ceaseless action and reaction upon each other of these different atoms."
