“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.” (I Corinthians 12:4-7 NLT)
As we approach the holiday season, many people are starting to think about gifts; especially those of us who procrastinate all year around when it comes to Christmas gift shopping. Oh, but now we are thinking about gifts! We think about who will get a gift and who will not. We think about opting to give to the needy instead of family and friends, especially this year, a time in history where the population of that group is still increasing. That’s where my heart is leaning at the moment.
Some are listing names and qualifying their gifting, discerning or discriminating by drawing lines through people who never give them a thing and thus they are thrown into a grouping called the unqualified. Man, I’m glad that God did not look at it that way when He gifted us! I glad that the Lord desires no man to perish! I am so glad that the Father sent His Son to die for us while we were yet sinners, unqualified as we are. Unqualified, but Jesus shed His blood for the remission of our sins anyway! That’s what they call “no greater love.”
I said to myself this morning, because no one else was awake yet, “Oh now we are thinking about gifts!” Well, okay, maybe this is the best time, since you are thinking about gifts anyway, to ask you a simple question, “How you are using the specific gift that the Lord blessed you with; the gift that He blessed you with for a purpose?” Keep in mind that the lists of gifts you will find in the Scriptures are not exhaustive. There are other gifts that you might have that are not listed. So how are you using your gift? Are you using it at all?
Now for you who once played a more significant role utilizing your gift for the building up of the Kingdom and time may have slowed you down just a little, know that God has given you other gifts to help accomplish your purpose; gifts such as your testimonies (plural) and the gift of encouragement or the gift of sharing with others how to avoid the pits and traps that Satan has dug and set to keep you from pressing on. Not even age can deprive you of using a gift from the Lord. Lo and behold! Your presence among the saints, when you can make it, is a lesson in itself. You are using the gift of teaching, for your attendance speaks volumes to those who are frequently absent and benefit from social learning as you show that obedience to worship is a must and that forsaking the assembly of the saints is must not. And, with your presence, you will teaching people who are visual learners, even if you don’t say a word; instructing them in silence that believer need to go to church to keep being fed with a specific word from above. So as we are forever fed, we will be able to remain steadfast, sturdy, and strong in our faith.
Oh now we are thinking about gifts from another perspective, aren’t we? Great! Hopefully you can see that I am trying to use my gifts as an example, but also in executing that which the Lord expects me to do. Be blessed!
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…” (Ephesians 4:12 KJV)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King