God Bless Kent

Knowing your gifts and talents

     There are 349 times the NRSV translation of the Bible uses the word wisdom. Many times, about 50, it appears in the book of Proverbs.

     It is good to have Knowledge but Wisdom is better. I think of Wisdom as the best use of all of your knowledge. Just knowing a lot of stuff may help you in a game of JEOPARDY but, it takes a wise player to score the most points to win the game. Wisdom is the timely use of what you know and the place where experience meets the lessons learned.

Kent - far left wearing a hat

     Back in February we greeted out first team of volunteers. Among them was a gentleman who approached me right after arrival to let me know his particular gifts and talents.

     Kent was here with a group of people going through pastoral training within the Methodist church. Part of the requirements to complete the program is to go on a mission trip. It doesn't matter if they are going into caregiving ministry or youth ministry or some other ministry, to be (what Brethren would call) “ordained” they must be a part of a mission trip.

     Kent is a tall slender man with a gentle scholarly look about him.

     He walked quite directly toward me and shared something like the following:

“I can help in building and I can swing a hammer but, I was an IBM’er for 25 years and so if you have any need for someone to help you repair computers or electronic equipment, I may be more useful doing that then working on a job site.”

(IBMer – means he worked at IBM in Atlanta)

In the Camp Symonette Dining Hall - David, Kent and Claudette at the end of the week.

The North Georgia Methodist Conference Team

     WOW, that was just what we needed. Our BMH office had a stack of donated computers which needed updates on software and someone to take the time to check them out. It also had been that the WiFi connection had been limited and the only strong access point for our computer was in the office space on the second floor. Our little “apartment” had an Ethernet cord which was not connected or being used at all and the dining hall router was weak at best.

     Kent gathered a team of a few other volunteers, (most who had also spent some time working in IT) and they went to work that very night.

     By the end of the week all of our computers were running or deemed repairable and David and I had our own router connected in our room so we could access the internet from anywhere in the camp. (they found the router unused in a cabinet and fished a wire to connect our Ethernet wire)

     What a Blessing!

     Had it not been for this team, at this time (so early in our stay here) and Kent’s wisdom to share what his talents and skills are – well, I’m not sure where we would be today. This type of talent and skill does not come to the island every day.

     Knowing who you are, knowing who God made you to be, and following your heart to share with others your particular skills and talents – This is TRUE WISDOM.

     Having knowledge is good – but Wisdom is a treasure.

Biblegateway – Wisdom - https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=wisdom&qs_version=NRSV&limit=500