Talents and Dance and The Bible

Jeremiah 31:13 says, “Then shall the young women rejoice in the DANCE, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.”

To me, Dance isn't just something I do for fun in my afternoons and evenings. It isn't just an activity that I love to do and want to continue doing in the future. It isn't just a relaxing
exercise that I do to stay in shape. There is a bigger and better purpose for me dancing. The verse above states "Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance..." Dancing is also a way to REJOICE and PRAISE God for what he has done for us.

Psalm 150:4 says, “Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!”

Dance is one of the most sacred ways we can worship the Lord. This verse is a very special one to me because it is commanding us to praise God with dance and music. To me, Dance and music are not just things I like to do because they are pretty to watch and listen to or fun to do or play. They are tools and talents God has given me to give glory and praise to his name. We are commanded to worship God in everything we do. So when we're dancing or playing music, the focus should always be on God. He is the one who as given us these gifts and he wants us to use them to glorify Him.

The Parable of the Talents

¹⁴"For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. ¹⁵To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. ¹⁶He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. ¹⁷So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. ¹⁸But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. ¹⁹Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.' ²¹His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' ²²And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.' ²³His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' ²⁴He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ²⁵so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' ²⁶But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. ²⁹ For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

God doesn't want us to hide our talents in the ground and keep them away, he wants us to use them to increase His kingdom! I really like when it says: "You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷Then you ought to have INVEST my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with INTEREST."

God wants us to take the talents He has given us, INVEST in them and then Give them back to God with INTEREST! The way we do that is we take our talents that God has given us, mine being dance, and use it in a way that will glorify God. Using our talents to glorify God is giving back to him what he has given us.


Psalm 89:5 says, “BLESSED are the people who know the passwords of praise, who shout on parade in the bright presence of God. Delighted, they dance all day long; they know who you are, what you do—they can't keep it quiet! Your vibrant beauty has gotten inside us— you've been so good to us! We're walking on air! All we are and have we owe to God, Holy God of Israel, our King!”

Think about some talents that God has given you. God has given everyone talents so don't say you don't have any. How can YOU use your talents to glorify God?