Thoughts for Thanksgiving Day - Use that gift with joy If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. - Romans 12:7-8 Why would I even think of serving Christ any other way? I have, unfortunately, ministered alongside individuals who volunteered or reluctantly accepted a position of service that were obviously not called to that ministry. It was painful, both for me and them. Too many times I have heard statements such as, Well, if nobody else will do it, I guess I will. Yet, even then some of those people have gone on to serve enthusiastically and effectively, likely discovering a hidden gift they didnt know they had or were afraid to exercise. Sometimes I hate to admit that I have discovered long ago not to accept ministry positions for which I know I am not called. I have accepted those in the past for the wrong reasons, only to fail miserably. For instance, I love children. But, I cannot teach children. Why? Maybe because it is not my gift. I am not envious of those that can. I get excited watching God use that persons gift and then seeing the fruit. My wife has the gift of service and the gift of showing kindness. She loves exercising those gifts, even without acknowledging or even realizing just how much she impacts the lives of those she lavishes those gifts upon. Most people who exercise, with joy, the specific gift or gifts God gave them at the time of their salvation do not realize that. And they never get puffed up or desire recognition for what they feel just comes naturally and is the least they can do. Paul is instructing the church here this morning to just do what seems to come natural. Dont get jealous because others may be doing the same, maybe even better or effectively. It should encourage me to dig deeper. I am doing eternal Kingdom Work, coming alongside the King himself to build and establish his kingdom. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us (12:3).
Posted on: Thu, 27 Nov 2014 13:23:50 +0000
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