Using my gifts for God
By Jessica Brodie
It was the most beautiful, soft cashmere sweater, and I’d received it as a gift. Not only was it gorgeous, but I also felt gorgeous in it! (Win!)
But it was one of those things that was a tad too “nice” for the office, so I ended up not wearing it very often. Still, it was special to me, one of my favorite pieces of clothing. I can still picture it hanging there in the closet, still remember how great I felt in it.
Months later when cold weather hit again, I pulled it out, excited to wear it—only to discover moths had somehow gotten into my closet. My special sweater was ruined.
I’d let my gift go to waste without even realizing.
This tangible gift reminds me of some of the other gifts we are given in this life—spiritual gifts, granted to us by the Lord. As we are reminded in Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, and 1 Corinthians 12:28, some of us are blessed with the gift of teaching and some the gift of tongues, some the gift of healing and some the gift of faith, and so on.
These are gifts to be used, not wasted—and not hoarded, used only for our personal gain. They’re to be used to glorify the Lord in the world so we can bring about heaven on earth and spread God’s holy Gospel.
But some of us have amazing gifts we never even think of using for the Lord. We are gifted with a glorious singing voice but we’re shy, so we save it for the shower or in the car with the windows rolled up.
Long ago I used to only write for myself and for my place of employment. I’m not sure why; I think I’d just settled into the habit somehow, or thought I didn’t have “time” to do more. But one day I realized the fallacy of this.
“Why am I being given this gift if I’m not using it with gusto, and not using it for the Lord?” The thought wouldn’t let me go.
I began to write. More and more and more I wrote, with renewed zeal, and then I just couldn’t stop. I still can’t stop.
In the Bible, the apostle Paul tells the early church, “God has given His grace to each one of us measured out by the gift that is given by Christ” (Ephesians 4:7 CEB).
Yes, we are given a gift by Christ in eternal life, which he bought for us by dying on the cross for the sins of each of us. But God also gives us other gifts, spiritual gifts, and we have an obligation to use them—even when we’re scared and think we’re not good enough or people will laugh at us. Even when we don’t want to. Even if we’d rather use those gifts for ourselves.
I don’t believe God gifted me with the ability to write, encourage, teach, or anything else just so I could use it on a small scale, helping only myself, my family, a few friends, and a business or two. He gave me these gifts to help build up the full body of Christ. He gave these gifts so I could use them, so I could help carry His message to the ends of the earth.
When we all do that—use all of our gifts together for God’s work—look out, world! Can you imagine how many souls will join Team God?
Don’t let your gifts go to waste like I let my special sweater go to waste. Let’s use our gifts for God.