A small canvas

A great artist can paint a great picture on a small canvas. (Charles Dudley Warner)

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. (I Peter 4:10)

I cringe whenever I hear someone say that God couldn't use them or that their 'gifts' were too insignificant to 'count' in the scheme of things. God created each of us uniquely - some with a great big 'canvas', others with a 'small' canvas, but the thing he created is what makes the difference, not the size of the 'canvas'. We all have probably heard that good things come in small packages. I think God uses the canvas of our lives to paint a picture of his grace and love. We are a 'display' of both!

Use your spiritual gifts, regardless of how 'small' or 'insignificant' you may believe them to be. The beauty displayed in a life that has been redeemed by his grace doesn't find its significance in the 'quantity' of one's gifts, but in the quality of putting those gifts into use as he directs. Serve one another and do it well. You will be fulfilling your purpose when you do. 

God sees our talents as limitless. They may not be as 'public' as some are, but when we serve one another with the gifts and talents we have been given, we are allowing God to move through us to touch the lives of others around us. There is no greater 'canvas' than one that has been painted by God's hand. When you said 'yes' to Jesus, his finger strokes set forth a thing of beauty. All that grace touches is beautiful and is it useful!

Have you ever seen a mosaic? The artist has taken small objects and created a larger object out of all those small pieces. In much the same way, God takes the 'small canvas' of our lives, fits it together with various other 'small canvas' lives, in turn making a vast mosaic of his 'artwork'. The thing created when we are faithful to use the talent he has given us is 'huge' when all of us are faithful to display what he has done in each of our lives. Just sayin!

Do we trust his provision?

I had the opportunity this week to read through the account of God delivering the Israelites from their Egyptian overlords and what happened after their deliverance. One thing caught my attention quickly - how much they complained about what God was doing. They complained as they faced the Red Sea. They launched another complaint when they came across the bitter waters in the region of Marah. Even after God performed miracles to redeem them from their captors and take care of their basic need for potable water, they still found reason to complain when their bellies were empty! I don't know about you, but when God does something 'big' in my life, it makes me sit up and take notice. When he does something 'small' in my life, I might miss it until I see a bunch of 'small' things mount up to a 'big' thing, but I eventually find the opportunity to acknowledge what he has done. God isn't always going to work in the 'big' ways in our lives, but he will faithfully work in the 'small' details, arranging them so we are in the right place, at the right time, and with his presence around us. The hope is that we will have the right attitude toward what he has done and trust him for what he is continuing to do!

Then all the Israelites left Elim. They reached the western Sinai desert, between Elim and Mount Sinai, on the 15th day of the second month after leaving Egypt. Then the whole community of Israelites began complaining again. They complained to Moses and Aaron in the desert. They said, “It would have been better if the Lord had just killed us in the land of Egypt. At least there we had plenty to eat. We had all the food we needed. But now you have brought us out here into this desert to make us all die from hunger.” (Exodus 16:1-3)

Waters piled high so they could escape their enemies on dry ground - big intervention. Waters swallowed every soldier in pursuit of them - big intervention. Bad waters turned to fresh, drinkable water - big intervention. Fire by night, pillar of smoke by day to guide them - big intervention. Empty bellies and feeling a bit too 'hangry' and they seem to be clueless as to the provision God has ALREADY made, much less the one he is about to make. Is it possible for God to NOT know our needs? No! So, why would they complain when their bellies rumbled, and they didn't 'see' food around them? Human nature, I guess. Does God hear their complaints and say, "Well, I am done with you bunch of ungrateful people"? No, he sends manna and quail - enough to each and every member of the group, until their bellies were full. He sends instructions to take only what they could eat in one day, no more. Did they do it? Nope! Some were greedy and perhaps a little 'untrusting' of God's provision, so they took more than they needed for the day, only to find it full of worms and with a foul smell when they went back to it.

Sin is a bit like that foul smelling manna - worm-filled and sour smelling. It leaves whatever it touches 'unusable' due to the 'decaying' state it creates. Sin has a way of 'proliferating' - almost unnoticed. Get outside of God's will and the 'proliferation' of those compromises isn't far behind. Why? Sin has a way of causing us to be very self-focused and self-determined. Whenever 'self' takes the lead and demands its own way, compromise is sure to come. What amazes me is that God allowed the gathering of twice as much manna as they needed on the day prior to the Sabbath, so they wouldn't have to gather it on the Sabbath - but it did not get wormy or spoil. Whenever we are living within God's will, his provision is certain, and we need not worry. The 'proliferation' of sin isn't going to happen when we remain within his will. Step outside of it in our pride or greed, and what comes will bring nothing more than putrid decay into our lives. The 'big' or 'small' interventions of God are all the result of his care over our lives. We are called to remain faithful to do his will, no matter what. Just sayin!

Post-Haste

Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same. God decided to give us life through the true message he sent to us. He wanted us to be the most important of all that he created. (James 1:17-18)

Whenever we are faced with something that is less than good, honorable, or pure, we can know for sure that it is not from God. It is something of this 'earthly realm' that really isn't meant as 'the best' for us. When we settle for what isn't the best, we actually are rejecting what God has prepared for us that is meant for our good. We should never think God is tempting us with the 'less than' stuff in life - it is either our own fleshly desires having their way, or the enemy of our soul purposing to redirect our attention away from God. 

We are important to him, so he prepared in advance to send his Son to this earth to ensure there was a way to always enter into his presence and enjoy the privileges of this 'family life' with him. What 'perfect gift' have you rejected in the pursuit of something that is actually 'less than' what he intended for your life? It isn't too late to turn away from the pursuit of that 'less than' thing and turn fully toward all the good God intends. One thing I have noticed about my own 'fluctuating desires' is that they are definitely not consistent. One day I may find things of this 'earthly realm' to be appealing and the next I find myself disgusted by them. God's gift to us is always there - we just need to recognize them as consistent and good.

How do we get to the point we choose the best and not the 'less than' so often? It comes in choosing to take in the Word of God. God sent 'the true message' to us so that we'd seek things that are good and that add value to our lives. The living Word of God came, leaving us his written Word, providing us with a teacher of the Word so we'd learn to choose the best and reject the 'less than'. Get into his Word and allow it to begin to reveal the 'good', 'pure', and 'honorable' things God has prepared for your life. You will begin to see the 'less than' things of this world for what they truly are. When you do, you will soon realize they are to be rejected quickly and the things God offers are to be embraced 'post-haste'. Just sayin!

These three gifts

What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me. I will keep my promises to the Lord in the presence of all his people. (Psalm 116:12-14)

We all have those moments when we want to offer something to God, but whatever it is we seem to come up with just doesn't seem like enough. God doesn't ask much from us - he gives us so very much, but he asks little in return (or so it seems). If you have ever tried to keep your promises that you have made to God, you might have discovered it can be a little harder than you first thought!

As our psalmist points out, there are a few things we can 'offer the Lord'. If you have also tried to share your faith with another, you are doing one of the things he outlines. The testimony God gives us is actually a 'gift' we can share with others. That hope he places deep within our heart and the sense of freedom he brings into our lives is not easily contained - begging to be shared. Whenever we share our faith, we are actually giving a very special 'offering' to God, but we are also giving others the chance to bring a similar gift.

When we offer praise, lifting our hands and hearts in worship, we are bringing a 'gift' that actually transcends our circumstances. We don't have to 'feel like' praise is 'doing something' within us to offer it. Praise is a gift to God - we just get the 'side-benefit' of being 'lifted' in our spirit and emotions as we bring this precious gift. Isn't it amazing that the gift we bring God could actually be something that benefits us in such a large way? Perhaps the 'gifts' we offer to God have a wider-reaching effect than we first thought.

As we move into the realm of obedience, we are bringing a gift that actually begins to 'cost' us something we may not have really wanted to give at first. As hard as it might be to share our faith with others, praise and worship when times are challenging, it can be harder to look into God's Word and find places in our lives that aren't in line with what he requires of us. These are the moments where the toughest gift to offer is actually be prepared. We are beginning to move from a self-governed lifestyle into a lifestyle of being 'God-governed'. We call this obedience.

We may not think of these three things as 'gifts' we offer to God, but could it be possible we should begin to 'offer' these on a more consistent basis? Just askin!

Content to be at his side

When the church at Jerusalem heard what had happened, they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he arrived and saw this evidence of God’s blessing, he was filled with joy, and he encouraged the believers to stay true to the Lord. Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. (Acts 11:22-24)

We don't know much about Barnabas, but we do know that he was a Jew, likely well-acquainted with the teachings of Jesus, perhaps he could have been among the seventy or so who followed him throughout his ministry. We do know that he strong in faith and lived an upright life. He was an encourager - exhorting the believers to continue to grow and remain true to their testimony of faith. If you study his life a little closer, you will see he partnered with the Apostle Paul and was instrumental in helping to establish the New Testament churches as Paul itinerated throughout the land. He was generous - selling his parcel of land and giving the proceeds to aid in meeting the needs of those early believers. One of the things I find interesting about his life is his way of bringing out the best in people - one of the hallmark signs of one who is an 'encourager'.

As the church grew and new members were added to the 'ranks' of believers, he was overjoyed with their acceptance of Jesus. He knew life was changing for them, placing them at risk of persecution and even death, as not all the new believers would be embraced by the Jewish people who rejected the Messiah. He might have stood up for those who could not stand up for themselves, but that was because he knew the power of God in his own life. Then one day, "While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away." (Acts 13:2-3) As one called by the Lord, he was faithful to his mission. This is a great lesson we can learn from his life - be faithful to the position God places you within. He did not seek to be the Apostle Paul but was content to be at his side in ministry, supporting him in whatever way he could.

Sometimes more is accomplished by letting someone with differing gifts take the lead, while we simply support their calling. We each have our gifts, but there is great wisdom in knowing when our 'gift' is meant as a 'supportive gift'. If we all want to lead, there will never be anyone to help! Perhaps one of the greatest gifts we give is that of service - in whatever form that takes. It doesn't have to be 'public', for many of God's gifts are 'given' in ways that aren't 'public', such as spending time with the lonely, encouraging the downtrodden, or praying through the night for someone who is hurting or confused by what life has thrown their way. We fulfill God's mission when we assume the place he has prepared for us. We see the results of those 'gifts' best when we allow all our varying gifts to come together, each of us standing together in God's work. Just sayin!

We belong and we are needed

Just as there are many parts to our bodies, so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of it, and it takes every one of us to make it complete, for we each have different work to do. So we belong to each other, and each needs all the others. (Romans 12:4-5)

What 'part' do you play in your varied relationships? If you are a mom, you likely fulfill roles such as chief cook & bottle washer, laundress, personal hygiene aide, and even thrift-minded shopper. If you are employed as a mechanic, you not only diagnose every squeak, plink, and plunk an automobile makes, but you are adept at figuring out how to set those things right again. We all have 'parts' to play in our daily work and home lives, but we also have a very unique 'part' to play in the Body of Christ - the church.

Don't be deceived by those four walls you label as a church - the place where you 'go' on Sundays to worship for a couple hours. Complete with pews, chairs, choir loft, podium, and perhaps a coffee station, it is a building at best. The 'church' is us - you and I - believers who are bound together with a 'blood bond'. We have a role to play in the lives of those who share this bond with us. Building each other up, helping each other to see scripture with a fresh perspective, and even guiding one another when we find one is about to 'get off-course'. These are just a few of the 'roles' we play as part of God's family, but if we fail to 'execute our role' as we should, that 'part' in the Body is missing.

We BELONG to each other, and we NEED each other. Don't lose sight of those words in this passage. We BELONG and we are NEEDED. Too many times, we deceive ourselves into believing what we have to offer within the Body of Christ is not really all that 'valuable' or 'important'. You may not be called to preach or teach, but you can make a mean cup of coffee for that coffee bar! You may not find working with children all that exciting, but your ability to hunt out a bargain can keep them well-nourished with snacks you find at great prices. The 'gift' you are to the Body of Christ isn't measured by doctrinal knowledge, but by an open, willing, and committed heart. Just sayin!

Caution: Mining Underway

We are all gifted. That is our inheritance. (Ethel Waters)

So we must be more careful to follow what we were taught. Then we will not stray away from the truth... The Lord himself first told about this salvation, and those who heard him testified it was true. God also testified to the truth of the message by using wonders, great signs, many kinds of miracles, and by giving people gifts through the Holy Spirit, just as he wanted. (Hebrews 2:1,4)

At times, it seems we have nothing 'good' going on in our lives - like life has stood still. If we knew what was going on 'behind the scenes', we might look at the 'stillness' of the moment we are enjoying as a kind of 'present' that prepares us for what is about to come. Even when it doesn't seem like much is going on, we still need to be consistent in our walk. We need to do the things we know to do - using the gifts we have been given to the best of our ability. Why? We are about to be launched into action and it will require us to be 'ready'. I used to think these times of 'nothing happening' were my 'fault' - like I did something to 'reduce' the presence of God in my life. It was just that God was uncovering things he was about to use in some way. When we don't see or 'appreciate' what God is doing, remember this: "Rough diamonds may sometimes be mistaken for worthless pebbles." (Thomas Browne)

Gifts sometimes seem like 'rough, worthless pebbles', the furthest thing from a polished and cut diamond. When those gifts we are given are used for God's glory, there is a 'cutting and polishing' process going on. God does the work of 'perfecting' the gifts we have been given as they are put into use - not the other way around. If we continue to see only 'rough stones' when we look at our lives, we might just get a bit discouraged. The stonecutter doesn't see the roughness of the diamond and discard it - he knows the extreme beauty of the stone lies deeper within. As the stone is 'put into use', tenderly cared for under the skillful eye of the stonecutter, a thing of beauty AND strength is unmasked. Did you now diamonds are one of the hardest precious stones in the world? They are pretty much indestructible.

God gave you those gifts - as rough stones maybe - but they are given so he can be manifest through your life. Do diamonds just 'surface'? No, they are mined. The times when it appears nothing is 'going on' in our lives may just be the seasons when God is unearthing those 'rough stones' in us. They have to be unearthed if they are to undergo their transformation, don't they? Never discount the beauty that is within each one of those rough nuggets. The first skillful touch of his hand will begin to reveal the beauty, but the more he cuts away at the roughness of the stone, the more beautiful that gift becomes. Just sayin!

Use it or lose it

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. (Arthur Ashe)

There are times when we find ourselves thinking we don't have 'enough' of the 'right stuff' to do what lies ahead. We discount what we have, thinking only about what we lack. Ashe put it very well - use what you have, right where you are today, in the best way you can, and you might just see that God that as an offering he can totally bless! What we 'don't have' doesn't have to dictate what we can do with what it is we have been given!

We all have gifts. They differ according to the grace God has given to each of us. (Romans 12:6)

On the path of 'doing what we can', we might just discover God has given us something we didn't even know we had. It is while we are going about the things God asks us to do when we discover what we thought was 'missing' really didn't matter all that much because God had something else in mind. He had prepared us for that moment of discovery a long time before, but we needed the circumstances to be correct in order for us to realize he had given us all we needed.

The gifts God gives are not mystical - they are oftentimes quite practical. If God has gifted you with the desire to serve others, there are tons of way to be of service. My aunt makes lap robes for those going through cancer treatment. My sister gives her time to socialize pets at the local shelter and feed the homeless at food bank in her area. My brother picks up food with his truck and trailer for the food bank. Seems simple, doesn't it? God doesn't need the 'flashy' gifts to touch the world - he needs the simple and practical!

Grace is the basis of it all. We take the grace we have been given, put it into use the best we can imagine, and then we let God do the rest. That's all he needs from us - our willingness to be used by him. We focus on the difficulties and deficiencies, allowing those things to keep us from being obedient. God focuses on those things just a bit differently - for he sees the possibilities and the way needs will be met when we take that first step to use what we have been given. Just sayin!

Filled gaps

Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that. (I Corinthians 1:7-9)

Wouldn't it be nice to "not need a thing"? To be so "set" in life, nothing we could buy or be given is really needed any longer. If you were to ask a child what they "needed", their list of "needs" would perhaps include the latest super-hero characters, a new building set, or an electric scooter/moped - they might include books, clothes of the latest fashions, or more. If you ask an adult, their "needs" would be a little loftier - like a new set of tires for the car, the full collection of new pots and pans for the kitchen, or the shiny new appliance down at the local retailer. We probably have been asked what we want, only to answer back, "I have everything I need. I don't need anything else." It is likely true - we have a lot of stuff! But "stuff" doesn't fill the most important gap in our lives!

You and I don't need a thing - because we've received all we need in the person of Christ. We've got it all! What we often fail to recognize is just how much we have been given in Christ. Some of us only look at Christ as "fire insurance" - a means to avoid hell in the hereafter, but not really having much 'use' for him in the here and now. Others of us see Christ as a nice person - filling us with good feelings on occasion. Still others see Christ as a means to an end - thinking being "in Christ" entitles us to some sort of place of privilege. The issue with each of these "views" is their lack of connection with the work of Christ in our lives. Jesus is indeed our "means" to avoid hell, but we miss out on so much more if all we do is buy a piece of property and never see it developed! 

We might experience some "warm fuzzies" once in a while because we have Christ in our lives - maybe because we experience peace for the first time, or come to a new understanding of his peace settling our fearful hearts in the midst of a place where we definitely needed his protection. To merely focus on the "warm feelings" knowing him produces never helps us to focus on living "above" our feelings. Seeing Jesus as our "sugar-daddy" (the one who we go to whenever we have a need and then expect it to be met just like that) makes us guilty of treating God as our servant - something totally backward to God's plan of us being his servants. All God's gifts are right in front of us. This is the focus, not just that we avoid hell, get warm feelings, or have God at our service. God desires for us see the thing right in front of our eyes which we have such a hard time focusing on correctly. We possess all the "gifts" we will ever need - we just have to become familiar with how they operate in our lives. God is right there alongside each of us - getting us started and seeing us become proficient in their use!

God gets us started - he also sees us through to the end. In many cases, we give God access to "get things started" in our lives, but I wonder how many times we don't leave things alone long enough to let him see it through to the end? We have the "warm fuzzy" experience - but then after life begins to kick up around us again, we don't remember the "warm fuzzy" as much as we "feel" the presence of the present issue. The work God began is still being "worked" - we are just not keenly aware of it if we are just focusing on the "feeling" of the moment. Chances are, the present issue is just another means to bring out something within us where God is focusing his attention. There are two actions of God on our behalf "after" he gives us the gifts: keeping us steady and on track. In giving us the gifts, he knows we need to know how to use them. I have some "toys" (the electronic type) which I have purchased over the years. I learn some of the basic stuff - like how to turn them on, get them to play the songs I want to hear, and the like. Yet, I never really use them to their full potential. I possess a smart phone and Alexa devices - both probably smarter than the user! I don't take the time to find out much about the "other stuff" they can do because I am comfortable with what they already do for me!

I wonder how many times we approach God's gifts this way - not really concerned with how much more they could be developed in us simply because we are content with what we have already experienced. If I only used my smart phone to make and receive calls, I really did not need a smart phone! If I use it to alert me to my next appointments, keep my grocery list in, and be a tickler of upcoming birthdays, I am getting the hang of using it, but still way below its potential. If I actually begin to explore the apps, I may begin to surf the web, purchase a meal on the way home which will be waiting for me as I arrive at the local restaurant pick-up window, and even regulate my home air conditioning for me while away. I am coming closer to using this device as its "designer" intended. Same with Alexa - controlling lights whenever I need them on or off, starting the coffee pot, or changing the channel on the TV at the sound of my voice. God gives us gifts which will only reveal their full potential in our lives when we really nuzzle up to him and learn how to apply them in our lives! Just as with my smart devices, we have to "use the apps and skills" he gives us! The "gaps" in our lives are best "filled" with the gifts of God. Just sayin!

Who knew?

For who do you know that really knows you, knows your heart? And even if they did, is there anything they would discover in you that you could take credit for? Isn’t everything you have and everything you are sheer gifts from God? So what’s the point of all this comparing and competing? You already have all you need. You already have more access to God than you can handle. (I Cor. 4:7-8 MSG)

Who really knows your heart - not mine, not the next guy's, but yours? At first, you might think of someone very close to you and say they come pretty close to really “knowing” us, but do they really? Do they know the intimate workings of our mind (that could be scary), see the inner challenges of daily decisions that we make (uhm...that would be meddling), or understand the pull of our self-nature in every opportunity for compromise that presents itself to us? To be truthful here, no one really has that kind of knowledge of us - but some come "close". There are those who we confide in, but even in the deepest of relationships, we don’t always share ourselves completely, with full transparency in every area of our being - we 'guard' ourselves in some area because it is just not comfortable for us to expose ourselves totally.

There are always going to be challenges faced by the believer in understanding and appreciating the unique character qualities and talents bestowed in their lives. There are always going to be the tendencies of human nature to engage in comparing one’s own talents and abilities to those of another - he has that, she does this. The tendency of our nature is to zero in on some area of performance in the life of another and then to see if we “measure up” to that performance level – in areas that are spiritual, material, physical, or relational. Measuring up is kind of subjective, though, because our 'measuring tape' in life is often skewed by our experiences, beliefs, and sense of 'self-worth'.

The concept of “wanting what the Jones’ have” is not a new concept to the 21st century. It has been a challenge for human beings for as long as man has walked this earth. Even in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were challenged by the fact that they felt God was keeping something from them in forbidding them to partake of the two trees in the Garden. They wanted what they did not possess right now and were willing to pursue it, regardless of the cost. Beware of this kind of 'inward drive', my friends, for 'getting what we want' in this 'very moment' may not always work out the way you hoped! Sometimes we bite off way more than we can chew when this is the drive behind what we are doing!

Everything we have and everything we are is completely a gift of God in our lives. We often claim credit for our accomplishments, focusing attention on our ability or talent, all the while completely missing the fact that God was the creator and the one who bestowed that talent in the first place. Without the gifting God places in our inner man, we would fall short of the ability required to accomplish the very thing we so often take credit for ourselves. Comparison often leads to the conclusion that we are not “gifted” or “talented” because we do not accomplish the same things or walk in the same manner that the one we are observing has accomplished. What we really need to hear (and I mean loud and clear) is that “You already have all you need.” Could it be that easy? It is really a matter of us realizing that the unique way we have been created, including the uniqueness of our personality, make up something of significant usefulness in the hands of a mighty God.

When we get real with ourselves, allow ourselves to get real with others, and then allow God to expose the unique way he has created us to interact with others, building one another up in the special way their are created, we find a great synergy begins to occur. The body of Christ begins to function exactly as he intended - each of us being a building block of greatness in his kingdom. Just sayin!

Sensible gifts

God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible. (2 Timothy 1:7 MSG)

The gifts God gives are truly magnificent - some may try to mimic the true gifts of God, but where there is a true talent given, it shines through. I am not musically inclined, but that didn't keep me from attempting to learn the guitar. Notice, I said I "attempted" to learn that instrument, but to be totally honest here, I strummed a good strum, but somehow couldn't make that instrument 'sing' like others could. I learned the notes, memorized the fingering for some basic chords, and studied lots of hours in an attempt to become proficient. The real crux of the matter is that I wasn't going to learn! I didn't really possess that musical talent that one needs to get 'really good at it'. You just cannot force a gift - it emerges 'naturally' - as though it just fits you like a custom-made glove.

If you have received a gift from God, don't kid yourself into believing it isn't going to be noticed by others - no matter how much you attempt to keep it under wraps, the gift will emerge! I have a mind to see detail, often missed by others, that some think is akin to having a photographic memory. I honestly don't think that is because I have been given better 'insight', but it is just the way God made my mind to work. In a very real sense, this is a gift from God - it is intended to be used in ways that will benefit others. My grandson has an ability to conceptualize something in his mind, taking things discarded by others, and re-inventing them into objects that will meet a need. When he needed a fishing pole holder to place along the pond's edge, he found discarded parts from an old wire rack, an extendable handle (also in the junk pile), and a little ingenuity with the welder. In short order, he had a double rod holder!

It doesn't always have to be a 'gift' as outlined in scripture sometimes referred to as 'ministry' gifts - such as preaching, teaching, administration, service, etc. While all of these are essential to helping us meet, know, and follow Jesus, there are a ton more gifts that some might refer to as 'too practical' to even begin to think of them as 'true gifts'. I think of the woman who has a way of settling down a crying infant with her ability cuddle them, coo reassuringly, and bobble them into submissive calmness. I'm good for about 15 minutes of that and then I want you to come get your baby! I have also watched the extreme patience of the first grade teacher who patiently reminds that daydreaming child of the right way to write the letters in between the lines on the paper. If you don't consider that a gift, give it a whirl and see how much you come to admire the degree of 'vision', 'belief', and 'patience' those teachers have each and every day. They see possibility in your child, create a culture that supports their trying time and time again to get it right, and then praise each effort as though it were 'gold medal' worthy! That is indeed a gift!

Let us now be shy in expressing the gifts God has poured into our lives. They may not seem like much to us, but to the ones on the receiving end of your gift, they are amazing! They may seem a little too 'sensible' to be called 'gifts' in the minds of those who see only the gifts outlined in scripture - those 'ministry gifts' - but there is a time and a place for each gift - sensible gifts used by sensible people. Just sayin!

Gifted?

6 We all have different gifts. Each gift came because of the grace God gave us. (Romans 12:6 ERV)

Have you ever thought of yourself as "gifted"? In today's vernacular, that terms refers to someone with a special talent that almost surpasses what another would call "normal". A six year old who can play complex pieces on the piano may be referred to as "gifted" simply because the child has "mastered" the concerto. A mind given to the advancement of medical science, investing time and talent into the discovery of a new cure for a plaguing disease can be said to be "gifted". Regardless of how we view being "gifted", God may just view it a little bit differently. In his eyes, ALL of us is "gifted", but we may not fully appreciate just how "special" that gift is within us!

As Paul puts it, 'We all have different gifts. Each gift came because of the grace God gave us.' God's gifts are "grace gifts" - they are not specifically "talents" as we might see in the above examples, but they are special gifts nonetheless. Grace gifts are those which restore the broken, build up the downtrodden, and replenish the diminished. They are the gifts that bring stability where only chaos was once allowed to reign supreme. They are the ones that look hardship in the face and ask, "What can we take away from this experience?" Grace gifts bring peace where disorder and unrest once was, helps us discover truths once hidden, and soothes the heart so burdened with cares that life no seems worth living. These are God's gifts.

A couple of things about God's gifts:

- They aren't "developed" by constant exercise or practice. They are "grace-given" - placed within us and then used by God's Spirit to 'minister' through us to those around us.

- They may be exhibited in the form of a talent, such as song, the ability to write beautiful words on a page, or even the repeated 'service' of preparing hot meals for the homeless. They aren't the 'talent' as much as they are the grace and love behind that talent.

- They aren't for our own benefit. God's grace-gifts are for the people God brings into our lives, who cross our paths for even the shortest span of time. Their purpose is to build up, restore, and re-energize those whose lives have been messed up by sin. Yes, we benefit from these gifts, but we are not to hoard God's grace or love - it is to be shared in unselfish proportions with those who have need of it, too. Just sayin!

Wisdom AND Knowledge . . . we need 'em both!

If you stop long enough to see the display of God's amazing power, it will not take you long to realize it is everywhere you look.  The tiny ants crawling in and out of their intricately dug tunnels beneath the earth.  The beauty of the sun glistening off the freshly fallen snow and quickly frozen tree limbs.  The awe of a brightly painted evening sky at the setting of the sun.  The tiny miracle of new life held closely in your arms.  The radiant heat of the sun on a cold day.  The soft melody of the chirping bird enjoying the feeder in the yard. There are "signs" or "displays" of his power everywhere.  It does not stop in nature - it is within each of us, as well.  Scripture declares, "Each person is given something to do that shows who God is..."  We are each given some amazing way to express the power and greatness of our God - we sometimes just need to embrace this expression and go with it!

God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful:  wise counsel, clear understanding, simple trust, healing the sick, miraculous acts, proclamation, distinguishing between spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues.  All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when.  (I Corinthians 12:4-11 MSG)

The Holy Spirit is at work "putting on display" what God has given to us to reveal who he is to this world we live in.  If you study the scriptures, you will find the Holy Spirit is spoken of as bringing into evidence nine "fruits" within our lives and making available to us the display of nine "gifts", as well.  These differ, but all come from God in order to put on display within our lives the evidence of who God is.  What better "canvas" for God to use than the lives of messed up, hurting, and broken people!  In the work he does within our lives, he is seen and he is understood.  Fruit is evidence of growth.  Gifts are evidence of who has provided the growth.  Each serves a purpose - to put God's power on display.

So, what are the nine gifts of the Spirit and how do they actually put God on display through our lives?  If we were to examine these individually, we might just begin to see how they display his power.  Today, I'd like to look at two of these gifts - the word of knowledge and the word of wisdom.  Depending on the translation you are reading from, these might be called something like wise counsel (word of wisdom) and clear understanding (word of knowledge). 

- Word of Knowledge:  We begin by understanding God's knowledge as infinite (omniscient) and ours as limited by a set of very finite learning opportunities.  We might understand gravity exists because we studied it and see it is a force which keeps us "grounded".  Yet, we don't understand how it exists.  God does, though, because he has infinite knowledge.  Some things can be "known" because we have this limited knowledge.  We might "know" two and two add up to four because we have taken two apples and added them to a bowl of two other apples and find we now have four.  We might "trust" the term "pi" to equal 3.14159265, but the "why" behind what "pi" equals might not be as clear.  We learned in school that it is a "constant" number which represents ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.  I guess this is important if I want to go around measuring circles!  In my life, I don't use "pi" very often, but I know what it means.

There is a difference between the knowledge we have because we learn something and the knowledge God gives which "outreaches" our knowledge base.  We call this latter type of knowledge a "word of knowledge" or "clear understanding".  It isn't your own mind figuring something out - it is the Spirit within you giving you the knowledge into a matter at hand.  As far as when this gift might be manifest in our lives, it is usually when we need insight into a matter for which we really don't possess the ability to "know" the correct answer.  Now, don't get the idea this gift is for the times when we haven't studied for a final exam and expect God to "gift" us with the answer!  This gift is often given when we are facing a moment when we need insight - there is something not perceivable in "natural" knowledge, so we need the insight of God in order to fully perceive.  We definitely need this gift in our lives since our own knowledge is so "finite" and God's is so supernaturally "infinite".

- Word of Wisdom:  One person in scripture stands out as an example of using this gift to solve a very important matter - Solomon.  Two women come to him one day, in a terrible squabble over who actually "owns" a little baby - one claims to be the mother, the other makes the same claim (I Kings 3).  Now, if you have ever been in this type of circumstance, perhaps a time when your two children were each pointing fingers at the other and proclaiming neither of them "did it", you might have actually received a "word of wisdom" in helping you to get to the truth of the matter!  The word of wisdom is often given when we need "supernatural" knowledge and the ability to apply it as you should.  I often heard clearly from the Spirit when my kids weren't telling me the truth - knowing how to use this wisdom so I could bring my kids to a place of telling me the truth on their own was often a matter of "supernatural" wisdom.  

As you can see, these two gifts seem to go hand-in-hand.  You are correct. One may exist without the other, but they often exists side-by-side.  You receive insight you don't possess AND the ability to know how to apply or use it in the circumstances you are faced with.  Two gifts - each unique - yet often manifest together.  When you gain insight you don't naturally possess, this is a manifestation of his power and often of his grace!  When you know how to apply this insight, this is a manifestation of "wisdom" which supersedes your ability to "put two-and-two together", so to speak.  We need both - and it is good to know both are available to us through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  Just sayin!

A new lamp

Have you ever had one of those moments when you know something and no one else in the group does?  You are almost chatting at the bit to get an opportunity to share it with someone, or perhaps you have been sworn to secrecy and cannot.  Either way, it is almost impossible to contain yourself. The information you possess is almost too big to be contained.  I think this is the way it is with what God gives us - it is almost too big for us to contain it! It leaves us feeling like we'd have to share it or we'd burst.  I like the analogy of heading off to the market one day in search of a new oil burning lamp for the homestead.  You have the anticipation of the journey - for you have a mission in mind.  You have the moment of exploration - for there are many lamps from which to choose.  You have the moment of choice - for just the right one has been selected.  You have the moment of expectation - for you can imagine the light it will bring to your home.  Then at last, you have the joy of experience - for the light shed illuminates like nothing else.  So it is in discovery of the truths God has for our lives.  His question is sincere - if we have such an experience in seeking, obtaining, and experiencing this light, why would we ever tuck it away for no one else to experience?

Jesus went on: “Does anyone bring a lamp home and put it under a washtub or beneath the bed? Don’t you put it up on a table or on the mantel? We’re not keeping secrets, we’re telling them; we’re not hiding things, we’re bringing them out into the open. “Are you listening to this? Really listening? “Listen carefully to what I am saying—and be wary of the shrewd advice that tells you how to get ahead in the world on your own. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess impoverishes.” (Mark 4:21-25 MSG)

Looking at this analogy of obtaining the lamp, let's break it down a little more:

- You have the anticipation of the journey - for you have a mission in mind. Anticipation is best understood as a type of "foretaste".  There is some kind of hope which actually sets things in motion in your lives.  We often don't know what it is we will discover as we spend time with Jesus, but we know from previous "tastes" of time in his presence, it is a good thing.  What you may not realize is that the word "anticipation" is a noun of ACTION.  To anticipate something doesn't mean we wait in inactivity for whatever it is we hope to received from our time with God - it means we enter into his presence with ACTION (not activity).  There is a purpose - an intent - and it moves us.

- You have the moment of exploration - for there are many lamps from which to choose.  This is a moment of examination - for some things worth having require a little determined examination to uncover.  I have learned this as I have been exposed to a few antique shops in my recent travels.  Not all shops put the "good finds" right out there in the open.  You almost always have to dig through shelf after shelf, box after box, or hidden crannies to find it.  I think God may give us these times of examining what he has for us because he wants to us to come to a place of determined commitment to "find".  

-  You have the moment of choice - for just the right one has been selected. The anticipation and exploration should lead us into a point of choice.  Once we are intent in our search and purposeful in our exploration, we are at the point of often having to choose the truth we will hold onto.  We are faced with many choices of "truth" in our lives - only one choice holds up to the test of time - the truth of God's word.  Choosing involves consideration of the alternatives.  God gives us each free will - the ability to choose.  Whenever we are faced with choices, we consider the alternatives.  Using our illustration of the lamp, we can choose one which is square and squat, or one which is tall and slender.  One might fit the space better - while the other might just provide more light in the room.  The choice is ours - choosing the one which "fits" our needs the best is oftentimes aided by the "nudges" of the one presenting us the options.  God presents the options - we make the choice.

-  You have the moment of expectation - for you can imagine the light it will bring to your home.  As you begin to embrace truth, it begins to build an anticipated excitement within which we sometimes refer to as expectation. It is just a few days before Christmas and my grandsons have already been under my tree with a flashlight exploring the colorfully wrapped parcels in hopes of finding how many have their names on them.  At about two weeks before Christmas, my youngest came over to me and asked, "Grandma, did Santa come to your house?"  What I think he was really after was if Santa already hit my house, then he missed theirs - and that would be sorely disappointing for a five year old boy!  I assured him his tree would soon be filled with all assortments of colorfully and expertly wrapped parcels, as well - Santa had not come to Grandma and GG's house.  We had just done a little shopping on our own.  He seemed happy with this explanation and hopeful of the promise of Christmas morning around his own tree.  Anticipation builds around Christmas for the wee ones, doesn't it?  Truth be told, it kind of does for us "older" ones, as well!  As parcels will be unwrapped, realization of what you hoped for becomes real - the gift becomes yours.  My grandsons have come to look forward to good gifts under Grandma's tree.  Yep, there will be the "obligatory" socks and underwear, but they also know they will receive some special treats like their favorite toys, a shopping trip at Home Depot, and other items they much anticipate.  It is good to know our heavenly Father is overjoyed with us anticipating his good gifts in just this same way - with eager anticipation and excited expectation.

-  You have the joy of experience - for the light shed illuminates like nothing else.  It all culminates in experience, doesn't it.  When the light finally fills the room, darkness is dispelled.  When darkness no longer taunts us, we are free to move like never before.  My mom is legally blind - she knows what it is like to experience darkness in a different sense.  One of her most frequent requests is for more light to dispel just a little of that darkness she sees.  As much as possible, we try to keep the home light-filled and hazard-free.  It is more than for her safety - it is for her enjoyment.  God's hope for us is that we will come into both a place of being "light-filled" and living "hazard free", as a result.  Just sayin!

It is not the much, but the joy which is the focus!

MORE:  greater quantity, measure, amount, degree or number.  We all struggle with a desire for "more" in some sense of the word.  More love in our relationships, more hope in our future, more money in our account, more square footage in our home - the list could go on.  Suffice it to say, we often find it hard to be "content" with the hear and now - we are always looking for what lies in the future, aren't we?  I came across a little quote I'd like to share:  "All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on." (Havelock Ellis - British Psychologist)  You know what always wanting more does to us?  It burdens us down with "more"!  We have to let go of something to embrace something more.  Nothing "more" can be added where there is no room.  We make "room" by letting go, taking on the new, and saying good-bye to the old.  If we don't, they might just see us on some reality segment of the "Hoarders"!

Why is everyone hungry for more? “More, more,” they say.  “More, more.”
I have God’s more-than-enough, more joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees.  At day’s end I’m ready for sound sleep, for you, God, have put my life back together.  (Psalm 4:6-8 MSG)

The holiday shopping season has many in a tizzy these days.  The malls are crammed full.  Local strip mall parking lots are overflowing with impatience seen plainly on each driver's face.  The fast food places are overtaken by shoppers exhausted by the day's efforts, just wanting a little nourishment to continue on the quest.  Why?  Someone is on a quest for "more".  I think we almost teach our children at a very young age to continually be on this quest by having them do stuff like making their lists of "wants and wishes" for Santa.  How much "stuff" do they put on the list which they really don't need?  They ask for a new scooter to replace the old one which is working just fine.  They want roller-skates when they already have bikes, scooters, electric cars, and skateboards.  How many forms of "wheels" do we actually need?  

David put it aptly - I have God's more-than-enough, more joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees!  Now, before you label me as "Scrooge", let me assure you, my children and grandchildren will get their gifts this holiday season!  But...I am focusing on not making the "wrapped gifts" the focus!  My greatest hope is for them to remember the purpose of our celebration - Christ.  Without Christ, we'd never celebrate the season!  In giving my "gifts" this holiday season, I want to create an atmosphere which focuses on the greatest gift ever given - a life for many lives.  My hope - for many to join me in this "quest" of sharing more than just "gifts", but to share life.

Albert Einstein once said, "Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile."  I think he hit the nail on the head - life, when laid down for another, is what makes living worth all the effort, hardship, and trial.  There is much to distract us in our journey through this life, but if we maintain our "focus" on the one truly important thing (Christ), we will be less likely to be pulled in the direction of those distractions.  Look at what David says - he enjoys what God has done in and through him.  It is this "more-than-enough" God who brings him the delight at each day's end.  Don't miss it - God is "more-than-enough".  He is our "all-becoming" one.  Whatever we need - he is all-sufficient to meet the need.  Do we need relationships to be restored?  He is more-than-enough to breakdown the walls of bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness.   Do we need direction for future decisions?  He is the all-knowing one, so why do we rely upon what we can figure out in our own limited minds?

This season, let's not get caught up in the "much" of giving, but the "joy" of giving.  I think Mother Teresa said it well, "It is not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving."  Aren't you glad Jesus did not get caught up in the "much" of giving, but considered the "love" he had for each of us most important.  His gift - the death he bore on the cross - exemplifies the "love he put into giving".  This "extreme" love opened the way for each of us to have access to the one true God - covering over our unholy condition with the holiness of his.  I think this is what David had "tapped into" in his walk with God.  He realized the only enjoyment in life comes when God puts our life back together.  God is good at putting pieces back together, but sometimes there are pieces which no longer "fit".  Those are the pieces we need to let go of - uncluttering our lives of their influence.  In turn, he makes us whole - giving us strength for the journey.  

My prayer for you this holiday season - a life worthwhile.  Pursue the greatest gift FIRST - the gift of the "more-than-enough" God of the universe.  Who knows, if we get Christ first in Christmas, maybe the "wrapped gifts" won't matter all that much!  Just sayin!

Drive a few nails!

We chase after a lot of things in life - not all of them are really worth chasing.  Sometimes we chase stuff which really only serves to bring us grief and disappointment.  This chasing is a part of a much deeper issue - we lack satisfaction or contentment.  Contentment is a state of being "at ease" in our mind, soul, and spirit.  We don't need activity - we are at rest.  Sometimes ceasing is the best remedy to chasing!  Satisfaction really a sense of being grateful - fulfilled in what we have and who we are.


Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does. Give yourselves to the gifts God gives you.  (I Corinthians 14:1 The Message)


Paul reminds us of the importance of pursuing the right stuff - in turn, it will bring us into a place of contentment like nothing else can.  It is in the giving of ourselves to the gifts God gives us that we find our greatest place of contentment (fulfillment).  Before you tell me you don't have any "gifts" or "talents", let me assure you - you have talents and gifts way beyond your imagining!  


Too many times, we limit ourselves by the belief we don't possess the "right stuff" to do what it is God is asking us to do.  We often don't know the "talent" God may need in a particular moment - but he does.  If he places us smack dab in the middle of the need - we must have something he desires to be used to meet the need!  In reviewing our "spiritual gifts" we often discount the very "practical gifts" we have been given, such as our talent to balance a set of accounting books, the ability to proof a term paper, or the awesome ability to make people very welcome.


We somehow think the "spiritual gifts" God is looking for are all these "mystical" gifts like the "word of knowledge" or the "prophesying" of a new revelation to the church.  As important as these gifts are, the most important gift we have to offer Christ is ourselves - complete with every "natural talent" we have.  In turn, God takes what we consider "natural" and turns these into something he considers "super-natural".  When we are in service with the talents we possess, he is honored!


Look again at our passage - Paul is pretty emphatic in his declaration.  We are to "go after" a life of love as if our "lives depended on it".  Paul leaves no doubt about it - he reminds us our life does indeed depend upon our pursuit of all God has for us.  When we are "going after" something, there is a tenacity (a stick-to-it kind of attitude).  We don't want to give up without the reward of what we are pursuing.  To Paul, the life of service was this type of tenacious pursuit.


I wonder just how much we'd be blessed in blessing others with the simple talents we possess?  You may be excellent readers - have you ever considered reading to the blind or elderly with failing vision?  I know my mother enjoys it when my sister sits lazily by on the sofa, book in hand, and shares the stories from the Reader's Digest with her.  You may be able to herd cats - maybe your toddler's church class could use your talent!  You might be able to make a mean cup of coffee - perhaps the ladies need a safe-place for a mom's group. Whatever you possess - give it!  You might just be surprised at what God can do with the "simplest" of talents!


Paul really wants us to focus on giving what it is we have - not bemoaning the fact we don't have a particular "gift" to give.  In other words, he doesn't want us to focus so much on what we "don't" have as much as we focus on what it is we "do" have.  In the giving of ourselves to what it is we recognize as a "talent" or "natural bent" we might have, God can bring forth the "spiritual" blessing of our "gift".  Don't make too much of the word "gift" - instead, allow God to use you as "fits" your temperament.  Pick up the hammer, drive a few nails, and see what he allows to be built!  You might just be surprised to find in the nail hammering, lives are touched!