Everyone Has a Gift
“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.” I Corinthians 12:4-6
Just think of all the devices, products, tools, and other things that are made up of many parts. The first one that comes to my mind is the automobile. As long as all the parts are working together as they were intended, the car goes and the driver gets to his or her destination. I suppose the most intricate thing that is made up of many parts in the human body. Only God could design and form a human being capable of moving, speaking, hearing, seeing, and thinking. All the parts are necessary to live a healthy, productive life. However, there are those folks who have disabilities which prevent them from certain activities, but many are able to compensate in other areas. Not everyone is the same. Some are skilled to work with their hands while others sit before a computer screen constructing spreadsheets. Others are people persons who enjoy serving others while some work best alone. It takes a huge combination of skills, abilities, ideas, motives, and incentives to keep this engine called earth running smoothly, or if not smoothly, at least functional.
It is no different in the spiritual world. All believers are given a gift, some more than one, but one main gift for certain. All of these gifts are given by God’s Spirit to each believer, gifts which are best suited for each individual. Sometimes God gives a gift which employs one’s personality and talents, but for others, He gives gifts which require that He also give the ability to perform or activate that particular task. For example, my former pastor quit high school because he feared giving an oral book report, but after he came to know Christ, who called him to preach His word, he was given the ability to study God’s word and to preach to thousands of people all over the world. He did finish high school and went on to earn a Doctorate in Divinity degree. I think sometimes the gifts that God gives us changes over time, the time which has allowed us to mature in the faith and reach a new level in our Christian walk. I have taken the “gift” test four times over the last 30 years, and my gift was different each time. I really don’t know how accurate those tests are, but I suppose they can give some an idea of which gift they possess. Sometimes the gift that we are given not only helps us in the spiritual realm, but in the physical/business world as well.
There are also differences in the ability to administer various offices, not only in the church, but in the secular world as well. Those who attempt to administer, but who do not have that particular gift, do not usually rule successfully, whether in or out of the church. It takes a special ability given by God’s Spirit to administer fairly and justly. Since God knows each individual inside and out, He knows his or her potential and how each one can best serve Him and His kingdom. God works in the lives of His people, directing each one down the path that He has laid out for them. The path is not always easy. It can be full of obstacles due to Satan’s interference, but can we not experience growth in our faith from these challenges? As the exercise gurus say, “No pain, no gain.” Since God is greater than anything Satan has in his arsenal of disruption, the believer can be confident that he or she can use his or her gift to serve the Lord and serve others. Since God gives these gifts, it is certain that He can bring about the purpose for which they were bestowed upon the believer.
The main purpose for which God gives us these gifts is to build up His kingdom and not for personal gain, although one’s gift may also give him or her the ability to earn a living, that is not the primary focus on which the gift is to be utilized. God is an Equal Opportunity God in that He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34) and provides opportunities for all His children, but has different plans for different people, and He expects men and women to use whatever gifts they are given to glorify Him and promote His kingdom. That is the only way that these gifts will prosper.
Tomorrow, we will look into the nine gifts of the Spirit that Paul lists in verses 7-11.