Our Pastor brought up the subject of gifts from the Biblical parable about the master who handed out various talents to his servants. Although he explained that a talent is a unit of monetary value, this is not how we now interpret talents as an ability. It brought to my mind the question of what my talents, or gifts, are and how I could use them for God. Apparently, there is a difference between natural talents and those gifts we’ve been given to specifically serve the Lord.
It brought up some questions for me. Such as, is my ability to write a spiritual gift, or something I’ve inherited as a natural talent? After some consideration, I decided that it could be both, especially if projecting my thoughts through the written word can bless others and promote the cause of Christ.
What other gifts could I claim? I came close to fainting dead away recently when a friend in my home group expressed her belief that I had the gift of evangelism. This was in connection with my help with a fellow cancer victim for whom I prayed, and God encouraged. I just shared my cancer journey experience with her and how God had assisted me getting through it. I’d asked Him to use it for His glory. I shared how God had been with me every step of the way.
Over the period of weeks during treatment, she had gone from a frightened, lapsed Christian, doubting God’s love due to cancer, to one who testified to the doctor about the Lord’s faithful presence. However, this had to be the result of the Holy Spirit’s influence that changed her heart. So, how did that make me an evangelist?
I now believe that I had a stilted view of the term. Evangelism, I ‘m learning, is more than a Billy Graham preaching type of gift. It is joining God in His work to bring folks out of a darkened understanding of Him into the light of trusting faith. At least part of evangelism looks like that. My main tool is prayer. I will probably never be a bold proclaimer of the Word, like Paul or Peter, recognizing my natural shyness, but in my quiet way, I can help where God leads me.
Other gifts may present themselves as needed. I think that our Lord provides what we need to accomplish the assignments He gives us. That’s an exciting thought as I wonder what will develop in my advancing age. Many Biblical characters, such as Moses or Caleb, were not slowed down in their later years in serving God, sometimes in very bold ways.
Where will He lead me? What roles will I play in His ever-creative working out or bring others to Himself? I imagine what excitement will emerge as I open each new gift He gives me.