A Gift for You

Most of us like receiving gifts, whether for a special day or (maybe especially) for a non-special day. Besides God's gift of salvation, given to everyone through Jesus Christ -- see Romans 5:12-19 as one powerful passage -- what is the best gift he could give us? Jesus said that the Father desires to give us Holy Spirit, in Luke 11:13 -- "So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?"

God keeps on giving. The Father sends us the Holy Spirit through the Son; the Holy Spirit, in turn, has specific gifts to give every one of us. In 1 Cor. 12, many gifts are listed: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues and interpretations, helps, administrations; and appointments to ministries such as apostles, prophets, and teachers. (Other 'gift lists' are in Romans 12:6-8, Ephesians 4:11 and 1 Peter 4:9-11)

That means that God, who knows everything and everyone, has given you -- yes, you -- certain gifts or abilities. He wants each of us to understand which gifts we have and how we can put them to use in the world around us.

How do you know which gifts you have? There are several ways. You can take a 'gifts quiz' that helps point out areas of strength or passion. You can make a list of ways in which you've contributed in your family or community, or at work, and that list would start to show where your gifts are. Your friends and family could tell you if you have the list right, if they've seen you do things effectively (doing something well is a good indicator of a gift; it's like making it through the first round of American Idol, versus being booed off the stage).

And whatever gifts we have are to further the work of God, not for our personal gain. Paul says again in 1 Cor. 12:5, "There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord." And to make sure we get the point, he follows these lists with 1 Cor 13, the Love Chapter; because loving is a lot more important than being important.

May God lead you to understand and to use the gifts he's given you, for his glory to increase.