We Are Accountable for the Gift We are Given
OPENING PRAYER:
Lord, help me to be able to love you by serving you. Amen.
Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.” Acts 28:1-2
“Then he prayed, “Lord, God of my master Abraham, make me successful today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. May it be that when I say to a young woman, ‘Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I’ll water your camels too’—let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master.’” Genesis 24:12-14
“In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor.” Acts 9:36 (NIV)
REFLECT:
Often, because of pressures or misconceptions on our part, we are in positions that do not match our gifting. We end up being frustrated and, often angry, about the situation we find ourselves in. I supervised such an individual many years ago. He had aspired to be an elementary school principal and was failing miserably at it. He was a great guy and I wanted to help him become successful. I soon realized that his passion was teaching, not administration. Whenever we met, he was always talking about the college classes he was teaching as an adjunct professor. One day I asked him when he was the happiest. He stated it was when he was teaching at the elementary level. We talked about the fact that teaching was what made him feel successful. I asked him if being a principal was worth the dread he felt when coming to work each day. On his own, he decided he would return to the elementary classroom. After he returned to the classroom, he was considered one of the strongest teachers in the district. He was finally doing what God gifted him to do.
APPLY:
God does not want us in a chair that does not fit our gifting. He wants us using our gift/skill/ability in a way we can best serve his Kingdom. Each of us needs to evaluate our situation to see if we are using the gift the Holy Spirit has given us appropriately. Too often, we allow ourselves to be placed in a situation that is not the best fit for us. Pray, read the Word, and talk with friends and a pastor about your situation. If you come to the conclusion that you are not using your ability appropriately, make the change necessary to better use your gifting.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Lord help me serve you best by appropriately using the gift given me by the Holy Spirit. Amen.