Using Our Gifts

      We all have received gifts at different times in our lives; birthdays, Christmas, graduations, special accomplishments, and anniversaries. These are gifts given with no obligation to reciprocate other than a note or word of thanks. In another sense, gifts can be thought of as abilities and talents given to us by the specific code of our DNA, such as, the gifts of music, sports, foreign languages, mathematics, etc.

      By looking somewhat deeper and with a different perspective, we can discover what Scripture calls “spiritual gifts.” Paul referred to these gifts on several occasions in his New Testament writings. These spiritual gifts have some similarities to the natural gifts, but are subtly different. Spiritual gifts are given freely by God’s grace to each of us to be used in his work to build his kingdom here on earth by making disciples.

      Can you imagine going to your own birthday party, opening all the wonderful gifts, and somehow neglecting to open one, or even two? Or, even worse, just imagine that you decided not to open a certain one, instead you place it in a closet soon to be forgotten. The unopened gift.

      We all have been given spiritual gifts and each of those gifts is important. It is left up to us to identify the gifts we have, and then learn how and where to use them. God takes his willing people, gives them gifts as tools, and places his disciples in the areas of greatest need.

      James Harnish, in his “A Disciple’s Path, a Guide for United

Methodists,” expresses well the powerful sense of urgency about the decisions we make concerning the use of our gifts.

      He writes, “There are children who may never hear the stories of Jesus if people with the gift of teaching do not teach them. There are lost, confused, spiritually searching people who may never experience God's love unless people with the gift of evangelism share the good news with them. There are adults who may never grow in their understanding of Scripture until someone with the gift of discernment guides them. There are people who may never find their way into the church until people with the gift of hospitality welcome them. There are people with broken hearts and broken lives who may never find healing until people with the gift of intercession pray for them. There are new opportunities for new ministries that may never be accomplished unless people with the gift of leadership show others the way. There are lonely, isolated people who may never find their way into Christian community until people with the gift of mercy extend care to them. There are important issues of justice and peace that never will be confronted until people with the gift of prophecy confront them.

       In short, God has work to be done in this world that will not get done until we offer the stubborn ounces of our weight to make it happen.”

Rev Tim McConnell, Long’s Chapel UMC, October 14, 2012