Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – April 24, 2019
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. Romans 12:6
“Be yourself. Don’t strive to be someone else”. Sage wisdom from a preaching professor in graduate school with a prophetic voice. When we reviewed the six minute video of my impassioned talk, I resembled a cheap knock off of the pastor at my home church. Same gestures. Same voice inflections. Even the same hair cut! It took years for me to find my own voice, my own unique style of delivering a speech and to be thoroughly comfortable in my own skin. I am learning as a relational being–when I am comfortable with me–others are comfortable with me.
Our generous Heavenly Father uniquely gifts His children for His glory. It may be the gift of service, encouragement, teaching, mercy or administration. Regardless of one’s role, all gifts are necessary in the Body of Christ. One may quietly serve as a prayer intercessor behind the scenes, while another may boldly proclaim truth in front of the faithful. Yes, the Lord specially equips individuals for His good works. God’s gifting is His distinctive stamp of value on each one of us.
What do you do well? How can you discover your sweet spot of service for your Savior Jesus? One way is to develop the abilities that come naturally for you and engage in activities that energize you. The Spirit wires you in a way that brings both of you pleasure when you exercise your gift. For example, a generous giver finds great joy in giving and an evangelist is ecstatic when they share the gospel. An administrator is not content until everyone and everything is in its place.
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).
You may be an analytical thinker who loves crunching numbers, managing data and interpreting trends from both. Your gift of linear deduction is critical for business, finance and engineering. Perhaps you are great with people. People love your company because they sense you know, understand and care for them. Thus, your ability to network, convene and lead others is valuable for accomplishing a big vision or executing a strategic initiative. Yes, steward well God’s gift.
Seek to marry your passion with your giftedness. For instance, if you love to see someone encouraged, use your gift of writing to convey God’s love to their hungry heart. If you love children, use your ability to nurture and train as a conduit for Christ’s truth. If you love sports, use your teaching gift to lead athletes in Bible study. If you love travel, use your aptitude for business to help entrepreneurs here and abroad. Be who God has uniquely gifted you to be!
Be yourself, everyone else is already taken. Oscar Wilde
Prayer
Heavenly Father, use my gift from you to bring you glory. Marry my unique giftedness with what gives me life, in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
How can I better accept who I am and seek to become the best version of myself?
Related Reading
Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31, 14:12; Ephesians 4:11-12
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God’s gifting is His distinctive stamp of value on each one of His children. #uniquelygifted #WisdomHunters
Worship Resource
4 minute video- Alison Krauss:
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