What a waste it would've been

On their latest album ‘Brand New Eyes’ Paramore have a song Looking Up which has a pretty interesting set of lyrics towards the end. Singer Hayley sings these lines:

“God knows the world doesn’t need another band,                                                                                                                                                 But what a waste it would’ve been                                                                                                                                                                                 I can’t believe we almost hung it up                                                                                                                                                                             We’re just getting started.”

Basically there had been some sort of dispute that had almost brought Paramore to a premature end, but they came to their sense and then wrote this song. And I think there is a powerful message for us in those words.
Because Hayley gets it spot on. The world doesn’t need another band. There are thousands of bands out there, all doing their thing, producing songs of various styles and musical quality. One less would make no huge difference. We would still have lots to listen to. But the thing is, they had this God-given talent to make music, and if they hadn’t used that gift to make songs that could then inspire others ‘what a waste it would’ve been’.
In 1 Corinthians 12:7 Paul tells us “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other”. God has made each of us unique, and has given each of us individually a variety of talents and spiritual gifts. Some of you may be musically talented (I most definitely am not, unless being able to play the air guitar counts?). Others may be artistically talented. Or great at speaking. Or sport. Or building friendships. Or praying with people. Have you taken time to consider what talents and gifts God has given you? If you are struggling to think, Romans 11:36 contains a big hint: “For everything comes from him”.
Whatever you are good at, that should point you towards the talents and gifts God has given you. If you are good at singing maybe you have the gift of being a worship leader? If you are good at public speaking maybe he is gifting you to be a preacher?
But it isn’t just enough to know what our God given talents are. We need to put them to use. Romans 11:36 goes on to say “everything… exists by his power and is intended for his glory”. Paramore knew they had a musical gifting, but that knowledge wasn’t enough. If they had hung it up and not used their talent it would’ve been a waste. Likewise it is a waste when we don’t use the talents God has given us to bring glory to Him. And I can’t tell you how to do that. That is something you need to figure out yourself. You need to look for ways in which you can put your unique mix of God given talents and gifts to glorify Him and point others to Christ. Pray about it. Think about it. Talk to friends about it {ok, so I can help some of you here!}. Talk to your youth minister or pastor about it. But whatever you do, don’t forget about it. Because God gave you the mix of gifts he did for a reason, and what a waste it would be if you don’t figure out how to best to use them.