Service is a great gift

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. (Romans 12:6-8 NLT)

In his grace - we have been given - no one is left out. Too many times, I hear believers say they aren't 'gifted' with certain 'talents' or 'abilities', but they totally neglect to even ask God how he can use their unique talents or abilities. You may not be called to preach from the pulpit, but you might be able to mow a senior's lawn. You might not be great with bookkeeping, but you can watch a frazzled mom's kiddos while she gets a much-deserved break. We cannot overlook the important 'gift' of serving one another with the talents or abilities we have been given. 

If you can sew and have the means to buy material, make drawstring backpacks for the homeless. If you can peel vegetables and cut up salad fixings, volunteer at a homeless feeding organization. If you can listen to an elderly or disabled person dictate a letter to a loved one, then sit with them for thirty minutes and let them feel the joy again of being able to keep in touched with family or friends. Your 'talent' doesn't have to be one of the 'prominent' ministry talents, like preacher, deacon, or church leader. It can be the regular stuff of everyday life!

In his grace, God HAS gifted you with very specific 'talents' that you use each and every day. Some wield hammers and build with so much enthusiasm that their talents could be put to use helping with home repairs in a neighborhood hit hard with disaster or poverty during these hard times. God isn't impressed with our degrees, but he is delighted when we see a need, recognize we can meet it, and then allow ourselves to be that instrument of his grace in another's life. Encouragement may take the form of telling a frazzled mother in the checkout lane that she has a beautiful daughter. It could take the form of helping a small child by listening to them read their first full 'chapter book'. It doesn't matter the 'form' - it matters that we were obedient to do what we could with what we have, when we recognize the need. Just sayin!