(7) Now to each one of the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (8)To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, (9)to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, (10)to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. (11)All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
This is probably a familiar passage to a lot of us. Those of us who have grown up in the church have heard several sermons about how to find your gift and how to best use it in the church. For the record, this is not nearly a complete list, but it is the longest contiguous list in Scripture. The second longest comes at the end of the same chapter, just in case you were curious.
I don’t intend to try to define and dissect every spiritual gift in Scripture or even here. There are several additional resources available if you’d like to look around some more. The Bible talks a lot about when/when gifts are to be used within a church service, and it also provides examples throughout of people who display those gifts. Solomon is promised in 1 Kings 3 that he will essentially be the wisest person to ever walk the earth. Jesus was called Rabbi/Teacher (was that too easy of a reference?). Genesis is full of people who walked faithfully with God. Peter and John are healing people all through the book of Acts. Moses and Aaron performed incredible miracles in front of Pharaoh. Aaron did most of the actions (staff turning into a snake, the Nile turning into blood), and Moses actually did most of the prophesying. God placed prophets like Samuel in Israel to judge the people and get them back on track. Acts 2 records the primary example of tongues at Pentecost, when people from all around the region with different languages suddenly heard the Word of God being spoken in their own language.
So the Spirit was definitely active in the Old Testament as well as the New, and the people were using their gifts outside the church/synagogue as well as in, and that’s my primary focus this week. Finding where each person’s spiritual gifts are to be used outside the church. As many gifts as God has given, He has also given passions to individuals. The question is how do your gifts come into play with your passions?
For example, I think my primary gifts are service, hospitality, encouragement, and teaching. If anyone disagrees, please let me know. Those are the activities that really get my juices flowing; I love making sure people feel welcome and comfortable when I’m around and will go out of the way to make sure they’re ok. If they’re not, I like to encourage them and teach them some ways to be more comfortable, whether it’s people’s names or how to do an activity better. That plays out in my job a lot on a day-to-day basis by going into random people’s houses to work on their U-Verse services. I’m there to serve; they have to want to invite me in; I help them know that everything’s going to be ok, and I explain in words they understand what I did and what the problem might have been. Outside of work, I love having people over (hint, hint) and hosting anyone and everyone. Even with Frisbee, whenever people are nervous about playing, I get a huge rush from helping them get comfortable with other people first, then the sport by teaching them how to adjust what they are or aren’t doing. That is a primary method of interaction for me and a primary mission field because that is my passion. Helping people feel welcome and wanted brings the biggest smile to my face and warmth to my heart because that’s how God has wired me to be. Those are my gifts. That is what God pushes me to use for His kingdom.
My encouragement and challenge to everyone this week is to find your gifts through prayer, action, and reflection. I have learned that administration is a weak area, and only through prayer and God’s grace can that be strengthened. Once you have a hint towards your gifts, look for opportunities to use them in the church, as that is their primary purpose. God’s kingdom comes first. Then look for ways to use those gifts outside of the church body. How can your gifts be used within your passions to bring people to God?
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