We all have gifts and talents.  God gives us these to use and for the benefit of others.  As the family of God, all of our talents and gifts are bound up together.  Paul reminds us that, like a human body, each member belongs to all of the other members of the body.

In Romans 12 Paul lists a few gifts: prophesying, teaching, serving, and encouraging.  I’m sure you can think of a few people in your church who have one (or more) of these gifts and maybe you even recognize your gift(s) on this list.  Paul also lists giving generously, leading diligently, and showing mercy cheerfully.  Know a few of these people too?

This list of seven gifts is obviously not all-inclusive.  Many gifts are not listed here yet are definitely gifts that God has bestowed on people.

But maybe you don’t know your gift.  Maybe as you thought about who you knew that was merciful, you thought of a person or two and wondered what their gift was.  The solution?  Try things out!  Maybe as you are teaching a class you discover that teaching is not your gift.  But while teaching you do discover that encouraging or mentoring is your gift.  Maybe as you fill a role serving you find that serving is not your gift.  But while there you do discover that offering compassion is just your thing.

Be involved.  Offer yourself.  God definitely gives each of us gifts.  He does not give us gifts to keep secretly tucked away.  God gives us gifts to use, to develop, to practice to be a part of building each other up and to build up His kingdom here on earth.

Scripture reference: Romans 12: 1-8