Scripture
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-11
Observation
God has blessed each person with gifts and we need to use them to serve others and glorify God.
Application
The first thing I noticed was a reminder of Friday's post about Ezekiel only speaking the words of God. "If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God". Our words have the power to wound as well as the power to glorify God and inspire others to serve Him. What are we using our words for?
The second thing is about our gifts. Some people are very aware of their gifts, and in fact are very proud of them and use them as they please in order to receive glory for them themselves. Other people think they have no special talents. Both extremes are addressed in these verses.
God has given everyone gifts. Claiming we have no special talents is an insult to the Creator who specifically gifted us as He saw fit. It is our responsibility to find those giftings and then to use them in a way that serves others and glorifies Him. When we use our gifts selflessly, others can see Jesus in our actions and He will be praised and glorified.
Prayer
Lord, we thank you for creating us each individually, purposefully and uniquely. We know that you have given each of us gifts that we are to use to serve the Church, to minister to the unsaved and to, above all, glorify You. If we are unaware of our gifts, please reveal them to us. If we take pride in our gifts, please humble us and help us to shift that focus away from ourselves and back to You so that You will receive all the glory and all the praise as we use our gifts the way You intended us to. Amen.
Tomorrow's passage: Ezekiel 33-34, 1 Peter 5
1 comment:
Amen! So important to remember that God did not give us our gifts to make our own lives better, but to give HIM the glory! Oh, and I like your point also about how it is important to embrace the gift we've been given and avoid thinking that "we're nothing special" - because we ARE special!
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