Using the gifts we have wisely

0 Amens

Amen

 
As soon as the topic of spiritual gifts come up, questions like this are asked:      –  Are these the same as natural talents?  –  How do I know my gift?   –  Should I seek a specific gift?              –  Why don’t we practice charismatic gifts at FBC?
  

By gifts, we are not thinking of monetary gifts, nor gifts we give to others as presents.  Our focus is on “giftings”. Some might call them skills; others might call them “spiritual gifts”.  They are wider than just the “spiritual” – they include natural as well as supernatural gifts. These gifts are given - they are grace-gifts – that’s the meaning of Charismata = charis = grace. And in the Bible such charismata are always poured out through an individual for the benefit of the congregation.  But God gives grace to all = common grace, and in the church we could call it serving grace. Since all of us have received special serving grace - all Christians are charismatic believers. Look at Romans 5:15,16, 6:23.

 

The Bible gives us three lists of gifts; Rom 12, 1 Cos 12 and Eph 12.  Each list includes gifts the others don’t include.  Some of the gifts seem awfully ordinary:  Rom 12: serving/helping, encouraging, contributing to others needs, showing mercy/kindness/giving aid to people in distress. 1 Cor 12: those able to help others, those with gifts of administration

 

Some of these gifts are so very practical – abilities than any person might have. Our problem is that we have tried to sort them out into supernatural and natural, or special and ordinary. In 1 Cor 7:7 marriage and singleness are two gifts. So we shouldn’t limit the gifts God gives

 1.      There are a variety of gifts

Romans 12:6 says that we have different gifts, according to the grace given us.

1 Cor 12:4 says there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit 

It is God who gifts us. If you are a believer, you are not just flying solo – you are part of a wide body of believers. Together we are called to serve God and use the gifts we are given.  They are grace gifts – not given cos we deserve them, but because God is kind and good.

 

Some people say they have no gifts, or if they do, they don’t know what they are.  But think again.  Hasn’t God made all of us?  Hasn’t he made us in his image –with characteristics like himself.  He’s an immensely talented God, full of colour and life. You would expect to see in his “image” people who are also wonderfully equipped to reflect him? God doesn’t make ice-cubes; he makes snowflakes.

 2.      Each person has at least one gift

1 Cor 12:7 says that to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given. That means that the Holy Spirit manifests, or shows himself, to us, by giving us gifts. He gives them to each one. And again in 1 Cor 12:11.   

 

Paul is saying that when you get people together, you have a whole range of skills and abilities. And when they are put to God’s use, they really come into their own.

 Very often in the church we develop a top-down mentality; so we wait to get asked to take on certain tasks, and we then say “Oh…I’m not sure if that’s really my gift…”   Let me suggest a better approach. If you’re not sure of your gifts, why not explore them. Try something, and see how it works out.  Ask others to give some feedback. This is one of the ways our ministry/training schemes work. We encourage people to dip their toe in the water. You see, once we fix in our minds what we think God has “called” us to do, we could be wrong.  We will only know if we try.  So I’d like to encourage us to work from bottom-up; to think how can I help here? – is there anything I could do to get stuck in? I remember someone telling me that they really appreciated another person, who just let them “have a go” – they said they would never have considered taking on the role, unless someone else encouraged them. So let’s be encouragers of one another to develop our skills.   Whilst in Israel, Daphne and I met an early retired couple – these two opened up their home on Sunday evening to various people in their 20s & 30s. Thus a new group developed – not cos they were asked to lead it, just cos they were hospitable. 3.      Gifts are for the benefit of others

1 Peter 4:10 – each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others. The purpose of the gifts is to build up the body of Christ – to edify others. Paul says they are given for the common good. The church is like a massive building site; it is always showing signs of change and development.

 Along Mead Lane some rather extraordinary houses have been going up for the past few weeks, with. a regular crew of builders on the site, digging out the basements and working with concrete. Now along come bricklayers, roofers, plumbers and electricians, and painters. A whole range of skills needed for the homes to be complete. So too with the church. 4.      Should gifts be sought?

There has been a view that we should ask God to give us a gift; this was especially true when some yrs ago people were keen to speak in tongues or prophecy.  But reading through 1 Cor 12 makes us wonder whether such seeking is right.  v. 11 says God, the spirit, gives them to each one, just as he determines. After all we are talking about GIFTS – things given – not about RIGHTS or things earned.

 

We may need to evaluate our own skill-mix and personal attributes – but these are usually God-given

 

It is no accident that God has placed us where we are – in this town, with these friends – in this job with these colleagues, in this church with these brothers & sisters.  And since we are to use whatever skills/gifts/attributes God has given us – He must know all the people who are around us, and how we can contribute to the building project he has in mind.

 

Maybe we need to explore and nurture one another along. As we work out our salvation we discover some things we are able to do, some things we are passionate about, other that we are no good at. We begin to evaluate ourselves – sometimes with the help of Myers-Briggs, or the Network course.

 We all need others to encourage us, and to caution us if we are self-deceived.  Yes it is possible to think we are gifted in one way, when actually God has wired us up quite differently.  And whatever “natural” talents we may have, all needs to be used effectively for God’s glory. Indeed God often takes our abilities and develops them for kingdom use. I can think of a very detailed and organised person, who works for a Christian agency using his administrative gifts.  Our genetic make-up is given by God and is often transfigured for God’s use. To eagerly desire the greater gifts, 1 Cor 12:31 means to exert effort to cultivate what God has already gifted us with; not only as an individual responsibility, but the responsibility of leaders to develop people’s gifts. If you are asked to take on a job – and you’re not sure if its your gift – well give it a go and see. Failure is not fatal! 5.      Whatever gift we have, without love its useless

True, all the gifts are valuable; that’s why if you and I do not play our part – the whole body misses out. But even more important than our gift, is the way we relate to others. Our relationships. We are not just a well-functioning machine, we are a body. We must therefore play our part, and be sweetly oiled. It is not by accident that 1 Cor 13 is sandwiched between the body metaphor of 1 Cor 12, and the problematic two gifts of tongues and prophecy in 1 Cor 14. I love 1 Cor 13 in The Message

 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.     Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self.
   Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
   Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others,
   Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,        Doesn't revel when others grovel,  Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,  Puts up with anything,           Trusts God always,   Always looks for the best,  Never looks back,  But keeps going to the end. 6.      How then should we use them?

To benefit the whole. We neither come to church as peacocks, to show off our gifts and attributes, nor do we come as shy badgers who remain in the dark. No, we offer our gifts to be used to advance God’s kingdom. If we’re not sure what they are, we explore them together. And then – in general – we play to our strengths. We aim to help one another blossom, and to do that we may need to take a few risks. Rather risk failure cos we tried, than do risk nothing and make no progress.

~~ end
Prayer:  Heavenly Father, help us to discover how you’ve wired us, so that we can play a fuller part in expanding your kingdom. 
 
Read More