"Your Gifts Are Meant To Be Shared"

“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)

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16, NIV)

Every year on Christmas Eve my family hosts a big dinner. We play games, laugh, eat way too much food, and enjoy each other’s company. This has been a family tradition since I was a child, and it’s wild to think that we’ve been able to keep it up for nearly forty years.

Like most Christmas parties, we do an annual gift exchange. It started out as a simple name draw exchange, but more recently has shifted to a white elephant exchange. Everyone brings a wrapped gift, participants draw numbers, and one by one gifts are chosen—but they can also be taken away by someone else. It gets pretty rowdy, and in the end, no one should end up with the gift they brought. You buy it to give it, not keep it.

Pursuing your purpose is obviously a lot different from participating in a white elephant gift exchange, but would you believe me if I told you the same principle applies?

Your gifts aren’t for you to keep.

They’re for the people connected to you.

It’s not that you won’t benefit from your gifts or even enjoy using them, because you will. But the truth is that God gives us gifts so we can leave a positive impact on the world.

When we hold on to our gifts, we’re not using them to their full potential or reaching the people God has called us to serve. Not only does that go against the very thing God has instructed us to do, but there’s a lot more at stake than we may realize.

There’s somebody out there waiting to hear your story.

There’s somebody out there waiting for you to minister to them.

There’s somebody out there waiting to read your book.

There’s somebody out there waiting to ignite their fire with a spark from your flame.

Before you ask yourself, why me? remember that everyone has their own unique gifts. Even if multiple people have similar abilities, no one can do what you do in the way you do it.

The way you talk.

The way you write.

The way you sing.

The way you minister.

Your unique abilities cannot be duplicated.

Someone can come close, but they’ll never be an exact replica.

And if you ever find yourself saying you’re not qualified, remember that God does not call the qualified; He qualifies those He calls—and that includes you.

Reflection

God has given you gifts for a purpose. Ask Him today to show you one practical way you can use those gifts to encourage, serve, or bless someone else.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for the unique gifts You’ve entrusted to me. Give me the courage to use them faithfully for Your glory and for the good of others. Amen.