Confessions - Book I - Chapter Xvii
St. Augustine reflects on the misuse of his God-given talents in youthful pursuits and urges a redirection of gifts toward praising God rather than empty worldly applause.
In this devotional reflection, St. Augustine candidly examines his youthful misuse of talents and the emptiness of seeking worldly applause. He contrasts poetic fiction with divine truth and warns against offering one's gifts to vain pursuits that honor fallen spirits. Augustine calls believers to redirect their abilities toward praising God, emphasizing spiritual discernment and the pursuit of true life in God.
Text
27. Bear with me, O my God, while I speak a little of those talents, thy gifts, and of the follies on which I wasted them. For a lesson was given me that sufficiently disturbed my soul, for in it there was both hope of praise and fear of shame or stripes. The assignment was that I should declaim the words of Juno, as she raged and sorrowed that she could not
\"Bar off Italy
From all the approaches of the Teucrian king.\"[33]
I had learned that Juno had never uttered these words. Yet we were compelled to stray in the footsteps of these poetic fictions, and to turn into prose what the poet had said in verse. In the declamation, the boy won most applause who most strikingly reproduced the passions of anger and sorrow according to the \"character\" of the persons presented and who clothed it all in the most suitable language. What is it now to me, O my true Life, my God, that my declaiming was applauded above that of many of my classmates and fellow students? Actually, was not all that smoke and wind? Besides, was there nothing else on which I could have exercised my wit and tongue? Thy praise, O Lord, thy praises might have propped up the tendrils of my heart by thy Scriptures; and it would not have been dragged away by these empty trifles, a shameful prey to the spirits of the air. For there is more than one way in which men sacrifice to the fallen angels.
Sermon Outline
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I
- Introduction to the misuse of talents
- The youthful pursuit of applause
- Recognition of empty worldly praise
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II
- Contrast between poetic fiction and divine truth
- The danger of sacrificing to fallen spirits
- The call to direct gifts toward God’s praise
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III
- Reflection on true life in God
- The importance of spiritual discernment
- Encouragement to seek God’s approval over human applause
Key Quotes
“Bear with me, O my God, while I speak a little of those talents, thy gifts, and of the follies on which I wasted them.” — St. Augustine
“What is it now to me, O my true Life, my God, that my declaiming was applauded above that of many of my classmates?” — St. Augustine
“There is more than one way in which men sacrifice to the fallen angels.” — St. Augustine
Application Points
- Evaluate how you currently use your talents and consider if they honor God or merely seek human praise.
- Redirect your gifts and abilities toward activities that glorify God and build up your spiritual life.
- Be vigilant against subtle ways in which your efforts might inadvertently serve worldly or evil influences.
Frequently Asked Questions
What talents is Augustine referring to?
He refers to his God-given abilities, especially his skill in rhetoric and declamation, which he initially used for worldly praise.
Why does Augustine consider his youthful applause as 'smoke and wind'?
Because the applause was for empty and worldly things rather than for glorifying God, making it ultimately meaningless.
What does Augustine mean by 'sacrifice to the fallen angels'?
He warns that using one’s gifts for vain or worldly purposes can be a form of giving honor to evil spiritual forces instead of God.
How can listeners apply this sermon today?
By examining how they use their talents and redirecting them toward God’s glory rather than seeking human approval.