Faithful Stewards of God’s Gifts
Freely you have received; freely give. Matthew 10:8 (NIV)
Emmanuel was raised by his single mother in the worst slum of Kampala, Uganda, where gangsterism, prostitution and substance abuse were rife. When he was nine, a local gang recruited him. Four years later, the gang leader was killed, and the gang fell apart. With nowhere to go, Emmanuel and his friends hid near a church. A church member discovered them and offered to help them get off the streets. When Emmanuel was asked what he needed to change his life, he asked for a computer so he could play games. He soon discovered that the computer could help him learn some digital skills. So he taught himself graphic design using online software tools. The church soon discovered his talents and asked him to help them with video editing and graphic design. Shortly thereafter, the Coca-Cola company offered him a job as a junior designer. This allowed him to help his family find a home outside the slums and to provide for them. During his time at the Coca-Cola company, he developed a strong sense of responsibility for his friends and his community. He asked God what He wanted him to do with his life. He found the answer when he read this verse of Scripture:
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)
After six months at the Coca-Cola Company, he left his job to serve in the slums of Kampala.
God has generously given all of us gifts and talents. And as followers of Jesus Christ, He has given us spiritual gifts through His promised Holy Spirit. Many of us do not know what our spiritual gifts are. Many of us haven’t taken the time to ask God to reveal them. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul stresses the importance of understanding our spiritual gifts, not being ignorant of them (1 Corinthians 12:1). Often our gifts are related to the talents God has given us and flow naturally. But we may need to develop some gifts.
Giving Our Gifts Away
Our spiritual gifts are not meant to bolster our ego. They are not meant to make much of ourselves, but to make much of Jesus. To glorify Him. So we are to steward them well. We are to serve and bless others who need our spiritual gifts. We are to understand where and how God wants to use us to serve others.
Emmanuel understood that God rescued him through Jesus' shed blood, set him free, and delivered him from darkness into His glorious light. He understood that God had radically transformed him and given him a new life. A life of purpose, to serve others with the gifts he had so freely received. So he yielded to God. He let go of the lure of money and became a faithful steward of the gifts and God's grace he had so freely lavished on him.
No matter where we find ourselves in life – working for a boss, running a business, being a stay-at-home mom, or serving in church - we can trust God to show us how to steward His gift well.
A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. 1 Corinthians 12:7 (NLT)
Reflection:
Are you stewarding the gifts God has given you well?
Prayer:
Thank You, Lord, for the spiritual gifts that you have given me. Reveal any other gifts you have for me. Help me steward Your gifts well so that I may serve others who need them. In Jesus’ name, amen.
