The Purpose of Gifts

One of the boys I knew as a lad had been gifted by God with musical ability. Because of this, his parents purchased him a guitar. His gifting was such that you could present him with almost any popular piece of music being played on the radio and he could then replicate that song on his guitar after listening to it only a few times. Amazingly, he never had lessons, nor was there any youtube in those days. While he enjoyed playing on his guitar, his parents did not buy it for him solely for his own personal amusement. They purchased it for him primarily so that he could use the gift God gave him to entertain others. Sadly, that young man stopped developing  his gift, and today appears to no longer have it. No musical blessings flow from him, and so no one can now enjoy the wonderful and beautiful gift he was once given. 

Almost all significant gifts given to us by God and men are given to us so that we can improve not only our individual lives, but, more importantly, the lives of others around us. In fact, one of the most famous verses in the bible focuses strongly on God’s public intentions for our gifts.  Ephesians 4:11-16 tells us that God gave some men specific gifts to be apostles, or prophets, or evangelists, or pastors and teachers. He then gave those men to the church so that the church could be built up. A gift to you is almost always also a gift for others with the intention of it being delivered to them through your use of it. 

When Lifespring Church set about to construct a building so that we could assemble in its walls and freely worship a God who has blessed us so much, he brought to us men and women who were gifted with skills of groundwork, and frameworking, and metalworking, and tile working, and roofing, and concrete work, and electrical work, and finance, and planning, and drafting, and architecture, and experience in legal services, and even the expertise of biology and habitat management.  Some of these people offered their services simply because it was a job that gave them a way to pay their bills and to enjoy their lives.  But others offered their services because they knew that their gifts were needed for the advance of God’s kingdom and for the care of his people. They recognized their calling, and they marshalled the skills, talents, gifts and experiences that God had given them for the betterment of the Christian community – even a local church to which they did not directly belong. They recognized that their efforts would have an eternal impact far beyond the perishable metal, steel, brick, mortar and wood they were fashioning into a physical edifice. They did not squander their gifts because they knew at some level that their gifts were also our gifts. 

Follow their example. If you are reading today’s reflections you know that God has gifted you with abilities, skills, talents, resources, and time. How are you using those gifts for the betterment of God’s people and for the advancement of his kingdom?