“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:6-7 NIV
My husband and I were at a conference. The coordinator said “Share one thing you can do that no one else in this room can.” I wanted to say “Being small and cute is what I do best.” But, two rows behind me cocooned a red-bowed baby-girl. Who was I kidding? She had cuteness overload.
Great question “What’s one thing you are naturally gifted at, that no one else in the room is?”
step 1 | DISCOVER
The Greek word for ‘gift’ in the verse above is [charisma], coming from ‘grace’, similar to the name Charis. God has graciously entrusted us with a gift at birth. In Matthew 25 we see how the Master had entrusted each of his servants with at least a bag, depending on their ability.
“To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability…” Matthew 25:15 NIV
Curious to find out what God’s placed in your bag of abilities? Ask yourself then…
What energizes you most, benefits others best, and glorifies the Lord ?
step 2 | INVEST
Bezalel is my favorite person in the Bible when it comes to skills. God had chosen Bezalel to be hands-on, most responsible to build the Tabernacle.
“See, I have chosen Bezalel … and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts…” Exodus 31: 2-6 NIV
Bezalel didn’t wake up one day as experts in wood, fabric, stone and more. God saw his readiness. I wonder if he lived by the principle “Preparation Meets Opportunity”. He must have.
How do you take a big tree down? One chop at a time.
How do you tackle a big project, a dream or an ability? One chop at a time.
Are you daily chopping and preparing yourself to be ready for future opportunities?
step 3 | RISK
Matthew 25 shows clearly that the Master has great expectations for his servants to take a risk. The one servant who received the least, risked nothing. Here’s the Master’s response in the MSG translation “Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this “play-it-safe” who won’t go out on a limb. ” Matthew 25:28-30
We play-it-safe out of fear. But Paul encourages Timothy “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” Another translation for ‘timidity’ is cowardice.
It’s not easy to risk your time, your wallet, your being exposed to criticism, the opportunity to get it wrong before it’s right. But, “The greatest risk is not risking at all”
What risks have you avoided, and kept you away from progress?
step 4 | GLORIFY GOD
By seeking God first. When the Scripture lists all Bezalel’s skills, here’s what’s first on the checklist “and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills”.
Before skill always comes ‘fear of the Lord’. Proverbs 9: 10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
By giving God credit. Psalm 16:2 NIV is my motto verse “I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”
By using the gift for his glory and not mine. “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV
Is Jesus at the focus of my gifts?
step 5 | DON’T COMPARE
Surest way to not make progress is to start comparing our skills to others. Paul tells us to have a proper view of ourselves.
“Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else” Galatians 6:4 NIV
or as the MSG translation puts it:
“Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.” Galatian 6:4-5 MSG
We all are gifted in different ways. And that’s good. Not all of us have the know-how to turn pig into pork chop, words into books, thread into blankets, numbers into spreadsheets, chaos into court decisions. We are uniquely designed for a different purpose.
Just as you can’t compare steak to shoes, you can’t compare your gift to someone else’s…
What action steps can I take to stop comparison?
God gave us everything we need to be thoroughly equipped. The ball is in our court now. With the Lord’s dynamite power, the agape love, and self-discipline we can “fan into flame” God’s gift to us.
Aren’t you a little curious the places God could take you if you started risking to discover and invest in ‘your bag of abilities’ for Jesus’ glory?