Turn on the tv today. Notice all of the gifted people, the people starring in the leading role, maybe throwing the winning pass. These 'gifted' people have hundreds and sometimes thousands of onlookers, shouting out their approval, applauding them for their efforts, wearing their tshirts. Now, I'll ask you again, are you 'gifted'? Comparing it to all the glitz and glamour of the media, suddenly we don't look so gifted anymore. As a matter of fact, we appear pretty ordinary.
From the world's perspective, a person who can kick a winning field goal during the Super Bowl a truly gifted person. But what about a homeless man off the streets, having no observable talents and nothing tangible to give. How would the world perceive this man? Probably less than ordinary, probably more like worthless.
The world places rules and qualifications on giftedness. In order to be considered truly gifted, a person must be attractive, rich, famous, and/or possess some kind of talent that will make them successful in life (by the world standards, successful usually means wealthy). Even in the education system, we put qualifications on giftedness. Students must have a certain standardized test score to be considered gifted, while other children who don't make the academic cut, but do possess true giftedness (like in the areas of music and art) are overlooked.
Let's take a look at this idea of giftedness from God's Perspective.
- God has no rules about who can be called gifted. He demonstrates this throughout the bible by chosing unlikely people and using them for his mighty purposes. David, for example, was just a boy, the youngest of his brothers, given the job of shepard, yet annointed the next King of Israel. Perhaps one of the greatest examples was that involving Christ himself. Not only were his father and mother from Galilee, a place that people were considered, by most from Jerusulum, as uncultured and inferior, Joseph was a lowly carpenter, and Mary, just an ordinary woman, a virgin, who God miraculously used to be the vessel through which Christ came to this world. There are many more examples of God using ordinary people to serve him. "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;" 1 Corinthians 1:27. Why does God do this? Because he wants us to humble ourselves, so that we can give him all the Glory!
- God has no rules about what gifts a person must possess to be considered gifted and worthy. The bible tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. The word 'fearfully' means special interest and in reverance to. God spent great attention, detail, and care when creating you. The word 'wonderfully' means set apart, marvelous, and unique. It's not just the rich and famous who were wonderfully made, marvelously made. We all are. And, no matter what our gifts, each of us is a treasure, a precious jewel to God. "For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be his treasured possession." Deuteronomy 14:2
- Although there are no rules and criteria about who can be called gifted, nor does He have rules about what gifts a person needs to possess to be considered worthy, He does have rules about how our gifts must be used.
"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully." Romans 12:68
Use your gifts to worship, serve, and glorify the Lord. Also remember not to use your gifts to glorify yourself and not God, "When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get." Matthew 6:5
I hope that you truly believe that your unique talents and abilities, whether big or small in the world's eyes, are all gifts that God has very purposefully and wonderfully given to you to serve and glorify His holy name.Maybe they're not gifts that will attract a crown of screaming onlookers, or win us a Grammy, but, when we use our gifts to serve God, he's the only fan we need in our cheering section, and our reward will be far greater than anyone on Earth can give you.
