Episode Transcript
[00:00:08] Hey, everybody, and happy Wednesday. This is Pastor Chuck Allen. I want to welcome you back to another weekday podcast. This week we've been talking a lot about spiritual gifts. Now, for some of us, we hear this as kind of like spiritual mumbo jumbo. Like, Chuck, I, I'm not really good at anything in particular.
[00:00:27] I think church is something I just go do.
[00:00:30] You know, spiritual gifts are for, you know, people that have unique and wondrous talent. But that's not true. What we've learned over the past two days, and if you missed Monday and Tuesday, I'd encourage you to go back and listen to them. I think the first one's about six minutes and yesterday's about four minutes. But they give you this picture that the Bible teaches us that God has given us unique gifts, unique in the fact that they are unique to you, they have a unique purpose for others.
[00:01:01] And in the middle of all that, they're gifts that are intended for the benefit of the kingdom and serving others. And then you say, well then, what's in it for me? Because that's kind of like the all American question, right? What's in it for me? Well, what's in it for you is the opportunity and the blessing and joy you get out of knowing that you are doing the right thing at the right time for the right reason.
[00:01:25] Now a lot of folks ask the question, well, how do I find my gift? Now, there are a lot of different assessments. You start googling them, you'll find many of them out there. But the answer is a lot more ordinary than having to take some assessment. You really don't need a mountaintop retreat. You don't need a week long opportunity to work through an assessment or a coach.
[00:01:49] Start with three simple questions.
[00:01:51] Number one, what do you enjoy when you serve?
[00:01:55] Now think about that question. Not what you feel obligated to do, but what gives you a spark of joy.
[00:02:02] Number two, what do other people say to you? Typically, when we find out what our giftedness is, it is because of what other people teach us about us rather than what we know or think we know about each other.
[00:02:17] When somebody keeps telling you you're really good at this, they might see something that you don't see in yourself. And number three, and where do you notice a need that bothers you?
[00:02:29] Friends, listen. I think God often stirs our heart toward the very place he wants to use us. In my case, it was in things like I'm always pulling for an underdog and want to help them win.
[00:02:43] Or I see Title one, Schools and families And I want to give them economic mobility. I want to give them an educational leg up. I want to make sure that that family is safe and secure.
[00:02:57] That stuff motivates me. Mental health motivates me.
[00:03:01] So in this part, remember, God has given you a gift and you're not on the sidelines of what he is doing. Hold on to that. I want to encourage you with that. Because when we know who the gift is for, we can understand what Paul was talking about in 1st Corinthians 12:7. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
[00:03:26] Hear that again so we can help each other. God gives it to you, but he gives it for them.
[00:03:32] A spiritual gift, y', all, is like a flashlight.
[00:03:35] It's super cool to own, but it doesn't do its job until someone's walking in the dark and you turn it on.
[00:03:42] Your gift isn't complete when you receive, is complete when someone else is blessed by it.
[00:03:50] Peter says the same thing in his own words in 1st Peter 4:10. He says, God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
[00:04:02] Now, there's three parts there. God has given, we receive, and we use it to serve one another.
[00:04:10] That means when we hold back our gifts, somebody's missing out on something God intended for them and us.
[00:04:18] So, friend, remember, somebody in your sphere is waiting for a word of encouragement that only you can give in just the way you can give it, y'. All. This is the beauty, because God chooses to use us in his wondrous plan of grace and redemption. And we get the blessing from it as we bless others. Thanks so much for joining me on today's weekday podcast. Tomorrow we'll be back and talk a little bit more about these gifts, unique and wondrous. See you then. Bye now.
