By Pastor Greg ...
How exciting it is to think that
God would equip us to accomplish His work in this world. Who could imagine that the Almighty would
consider using broken and imperfect people to continue the work Jesus began
while He walked this earth.
What exactly comes to mind when
you think of Spiritual Gifts? In my
younger days, I would think Pastor,
Deacon, Sunday school teacher, or Church Leader. These individuals were indeed gifted by God. But what I didn’t realize at the time was many others gifted people were working behind the
scene. I just didn’t know it.
Many people today feel the same
way I did. Too many individuals in the church don’t realize that most
of God’s Spiritual Gifts build up the church in the background; they are seldom
noticed, but take them away, and the
local church struggles to fulfill the Great Commission (Mathew 28:19-20).
Take the gift of Administration,
for example. These people bring order to
the work of the church. Ministries
become more effective and efficient because of these people. Or consider the gifts of Faith, Giving, and
Helps. These servants of God support the
work of others in the church. So does
the gift of Hospitality and prayer.
Without these gifts, a church
loses its ability to be warm and welcoming; to be a place where a person feels
genuine care.
Yes, most of the gifts mentioned
in the Bible build up the Church in a quiet, subtle way. But without them, a church loses its ability
to effectively minister in the world.
I remember discovering this after
I took my first Spiritual Gift. I found out that I had been gifted with the capacity to discern truth from error – right
from wrong. All along I had been
thinking my ability to sense the presence of evil was something weird. Who knew it was a gift from God. But Paul says it is a gift. 1 Corinthians 12:10 says God gifts some
individual to “Distinguish spirits.”
Spiritual Gifts are not limited to
leadership roles within the church. Many
of them function in the background, bringing cohesion to the work of the
church; they are the glue that holds things together.
A Spiritual Gift is a unique ability the Spirit gives a believer (1
Corinthians 12:7). It is an empowerment
from God given to Christians to build up the Church (Ephesians 4:12). And every believer receives at least
one. However, there is a fascinating
side to this whole Spiritual Gift assessment that is often overlooked. You see, God is also involved in our lives
from a very early age, guiding and directing our interests and our passions in
life. We learn in Exodus 31:1-6 that God
begins working in someone’s life at a very early age.
Let me tell you about two men;
Bezalel and Oholiab. As God is
instructing Moses on how to build the Tabernacle – the sacred Tent where they
worshipped God – the Lord mentions these two men. Both had been gifted by the Spirit with
wisdom, abilities, and expertise that
would be used to craft this Tabernacle.
He says:
“Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Look,
I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of
Judah. 3 I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him
great wisdom, ability, and expertise in
all kinds of crafts. 4 He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and
bronze. 5 He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and
in carving wood. He is a master at every craft!
6 “And I have personally
appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to be his assistant.
Moreover, I have given special skill to all the gifted craftsmen so they can
make all the things I have commanded you to make” [1]
(Exodus 31:1-6).
Yeah. When we think about Spiritual Gifts, we never
think of a carpenter or an electrician.
That’s a trade someone learns.
The ability to solder two copper pipes is an acquired skill; someone
teaches an apprentice how to do this.
It’s not a Spiritual Gift … at
least that’s what we think, but God says otherwise. The Lord says, “I gave them this wisdom; I gave them this ability; I helped them become experts in their field.” And if this was true then, I suspect it is
also true today.
Think about these two men. Did they suddenly learn how to work with
these precious metals? Did they wake up
one morning and suddenly know how to hammer and shape gold? Of course not. Like you and me, they were inclined to work
with their hands when they were younger.
They had a desire within them to become craftsmen; to become a carpenter,
a tinsmith, or a blacksmith. They found
personal satisfaction in construction work.
And as their skill developed, God gave them the wisdom to master their
craft. And eventually, their gifts become an
offering to God.
From our younger years, God begins
to nudge us in a direction that is related to our calling. He helps us develop our skills and abilities
so that one day they might become an
offering as well. We use our skills for
His glory.
Just like Bezalel and Oholiab, God
has poured His Spirit into you, giving you wisdom and abilities that can be utilized in the Kingdom of God. Sure, some Spiritual Gifts cause an immediate
change in a person’s life. We see this
in the New Testament. Others, however,
happen gradually; the gift develops over time.
God works in the background, igniting certain
passions and interests. He guides your
life; He enhances your skills and abilities,
so they might be used for His glory and for the good of the Church. He is working in your life, helping you
become the you He wants you to be. And one day, your skills and abilities become
an offering to God.
As King David considered who he
had become – the King of Israel – he looked back from his humble beginning as a shepherd boy. And as he turned his heart toward God, he
realized that the Lord had been guiding his life from the start. He turns to
God and says, “You
saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every
moment was laid out before a single day had passed” [2]
(Psalm 139:16).
Perhaps God has done the same
thing in your life. Perhaps God is
guiding your passions and interests right now, working in the background of
your life; preparing you for something glorious tomorrow. When the moment to use your skills for the
Lord presents itself, give Him the glory by making them an offering.
[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007).
Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed., Ex 31:1–6). Carol
Stream, IL.
[2] Tyndale House Publishers.
(2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed., Ps 139:16). Carol
Stream, IL.
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