During the 8th century, when King Charlemagne was one of the most powerful rulers in medieval Europe, Arnold of Arnoldsweiler lived in what is now western Germany. According to tradition, he was a singer and harp player at King Charlemagne’s royal court.
His position brought him close to the king. But he did not use that connection only for himself.
While traveling with the king, Arnold saw the difficult life of poor villagers near the Burgewald forest. The villagers depended on the forest for wood and other basic needs but had limited access to it.
He decided to help. According to the traditional story, he asked the king to grant him as much of the forest as he could circle on horseback during the king’s meal. The king agreed, and Arnold rode around a large area of land.
He then gave the local communities the right to use the forest, not to give them a harp gig, but to give them access to the wood and other resources they needed for daily life.
Music gave Arnold a place in the royal court, and that place gave him an opportunity to help people who had little influence of their own. His talent, it turned out, could make a difference in more than just a musical way.
Our talents may take us somewhere we never expected. They can introduce us to people, open doors, or give us opportunities that would otherwise never come our way. And when that happens, perhaps the better question is not simply what our talent can do for us, but what we can do with where it has taken us.
Let’s keep learning the saints’ way—day by day.
⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ
