As each of you has received a gift (a particular spiritual talent, a gracious divine endowment), employ it for one another as [befits] good trustees of God’s many-sided grace [faithful stewards of the extremely diverse powers and gifts granted to Christians by unmerited favor].
1 Peter 4:10 AMPC
Every believer has at least a gift. Meanwhile, the greatest gift God bestows on men is grace, which He gives of His sovereign will and pleasure, liberally, abundantly. So also is faith, repentance, hope, and love. Next to this is the ministerial gift, which is not what is acquired by art and industry but is a gift of grace. Likewise, there are the gifts of nature, as human wisdom, and knowledge, riches and wealth, and the various good things of life.
No Christian gets his natural talents or material possessions, or his spiritual endowments, for himself alone. These gifts are to be use to serve and benefit the community of believers, and not for our personal gain.
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
Matthew 25:14-15 NKJV
Men’s talents and abilities vary as much as their physical appearances do. Everyone has some abilities, but no one has all of them. The little wheels in an engine, the little stones in a building, and the little gifts in the church, occupy a place for which the larger would be quite unsuitable. An organism is healthy only when all its members perform their functions well; and efficiency in the whole is the gross result of efficiency in every part.
Therefore, to every one of us there is this solemn voice, calling us to remember the account that we must one day give. Thus, it is important that:
- We acknowledge that God gave us these gifts.
- We study, train and cultivate our gifts so that we can use them at their best.
- We realise that our gifts are for the edification of the body of Christ.
In conclusion, we must never forget that we are only stewards and trustees of God’s gracious gifts. Therefore, as one who has thus realised, we must strive to ensure we discharge our responsibilities diligently and faithfully.
