Did you ever play the present-swapping game at a Christmas party? Everyone gets a gift. People pick numbers (like from a hat). Then, in turn, each person has a chance to keep her own gift or trade with another.
It doesn’t really work that way with God’s gifts, does it?
Here’s a personal example. Don’t laugh. OK, you can laugh a little, if you want to.
As a young believer (and a much younger person), I was given one of those spiritual gift questionnaires. My results lopsidedly pointed to one of the gifts that tends to include a lot of homework. I retook the test a few times. I even looked up other versions of spiritual gift assessments, hoping to find the initial results were wrong and that I might have been granted what I then (wrongly) perceived would be a simpler gift.
“Can’t I just have a spiritual gift that lets me simply show up and have God work through me on the spot?” I asked. (I’m pretty sure God has a sense of humor.)
I guess it doesn’t actually work that way.
No matter which spiritual gifts we are given, God expects us
to study and train and prepare and walk daily with Him. The Lord may equip us
on-the-spot for a ministry moment (such as a “word in due season”) or even a
miraculous touch, but He still calls on us to do our homework.
- Is your gift discernment, evangelism, exhortation? Better open that Bible.
- Is it prophecy or healing? Gotta dig into the Scriptures.
- Mercy or service? All together now: Need to know the Word of God.
God’s spiritual gift list goes on (See Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12.), and each one brings personal responsibility for both training and availability.
“But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it] says: ‘When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.’” (Ephesians 4:7-8, NIV)
Isn’t it intriguing to see how God fits His gifts to each individual? Sometimes they dovetail with people’s lifelong (and still God-given) talents. But a believer’s spiritual gift may seem like a stretch to him or her, until God performs His wonderful equipping.
“This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” (Hebrews 2:3b-4, NIV)
Go ahead and trade those White Elephant or Yankee Swap gifts at holiday parties. That’s the point of those wacky items.
But God’s amazing spiritual gifts are personalized, specialized, and individualized. They are tailor-made and targeted. They’re keepers.
Related items:
- All good gifts come from God – 30 days of thankful Scriptures
- Here's a gift, lady. Now, don't use it.
- Is the Christmas spirit fleeting? Or, What’s in your wallop?
- Simply Santa and the Savior
- Why do we give gifts for Christmas?
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