your eyes, but they matter to God. "Now it is required that those who have been
given a trust must prove faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:2 NIV).
We have been studying Gideon by Priscilla Shirer this semester in Women’s Ministry Bible Study. There are many lessons to be learned from Gideon, so if you are not participating in this study, I really want to encourage you to open your Bible to the book of Judges and read about Gideon and the lessons the Lord taught him in just a few short passages.
His most recent experience that really caught my attention was regarding gifts and talents.
Priscilla Shirer had a quote in the study that referred to how she anwered someone when asked “If I feel called to ministry, how do I start pursuing it?” Her typical answer
usually goes something like this -“Give back to the Lord the desires and gifts He has given you and then trust Him to use them when and how He chooses.”
I sat and thought about that for awhile. It sounds so easy, but most of us make it so difficult. We trust the Lord with other things, but we’re afraid to step out of our comfort zone when it comes to gifts and talents. It doesn’t mean performing on stage or even reading aloud. It can be a small task like helping fold clothes for the clothes swap. Some people are very good at folding and organizing.
Maybe you enjoy greeting people. Every event has greeters. It’s so nice to see a
friendly, familiar face at the door when you arrive to one of our events. Do you enjoy praying? We always desire prayer warriors before, during, and after a special event.
God has given you unique abilities, talents, and gifts. This bundle of talents is the thing God has given you that makes you who you are and sets you apart from other people. Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences.
If you think your talents are simply for you to make a lot of money, retire, and die, you’ve missed the point of your life. God gave you talents to benefit others, not yourself. And God gave other people talents that benefit you. We’re all a part of the body of Christ, and each part matters. There are no insignificant people in the family of God. You are shaped to serve God, and He is testing you to see how you are going to use the talents He gave you.
“Each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully
administering God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10 NIV).
You are a manager of the gifts God has given to you. They may be great or small in your eyes, but they matter to God. When God made you, He made an investment in you, and He expects a return on that investment.
But if you use your talents wisely, God will give you more. If you use your time wisely, God will give you more time. If you use your energy wisely, God will give you more energy. If you use your influence wisely, God will increase your influence. God will bless your level of faithfulness.
Pray and seek your gifts and talents and trust the Lord to use them to glorify the
kingdom of God.
Carol Bridges