Equipped to Serve

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

God never asks us to do anything without giving us the power and the equipment to do it. That is even true in serving. 1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others.” Notice that every one of us has been given a gift with which to serve others.

Under God’s Christmas tree of spiritual gifts every one of us got at least one gift-wrapped package with our name on it. Just as a gift is to be unwrapped and used, so is our spiritual gift. We are all different. We have different interests, different passions, different skills, different abilities, and different gifts. There is a reason for that. We all have a spiritual job description and we have all been given the gifts and the abilities needed to fulfill that purpose.

One of the greatest problems that churches face today is these unwrapped gifts that have never been used. Too many people are not using the gifts that God has given them. Read these words of one of the greatest Christians who ever lived – Detrick Bonhoeffer, who was killed by the Nazis for speaking out against Hitler and standing up for the Church.

“In a Christian community, everything depends on whether each individual is an indispensible link in the chain. The chain is unbreakable only when even the smallest link holds tightly with the others. A community which allows to exist within itself members who do nothing will be destroyed by them. Thus, it is a good idea that all members receive a definite task to perform for the community so that they may know in times of doubt that they, too, are not useless and incapable of doing anything. Every Christian community must know that not only do the weak need the strong, but also the strong cannot exist without the weak. The elimination of the weak is the death of the community.”

In other words, everyone needs to serve. And yes, at some point in time, everyone needs to be served. God has equipped each of us with a gift. The question is are we using those gifts to serve Him by serving others?

Dear Lord, I want to be intentional about using the gifts and abilities You have given me to serve others. I pray that this week you could give me multiple chances to use my gifts and abilities so that I can be a light to those around me. In Jesus' name, amen.