Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. [Romans 12:4-6a (NLT)]
Like a good house guest, when the Holy Spirit moves into our lives, He brings us a gift. Instead of flowers or a potted plant, He brings a custom-designed gift just for us – a spiritual gift! Unlike a hostess gift, spiritual gifts can’t be purchased on Amazon and, unlike scented soaps or candy, they are expressly designed for each one of us. They’re a little like a custom-made Craftsman tool—meant to last a lifetime and to be used for building. In this case, our spiritual gifts are the tools given to us by the Spirit that enable us to build God’s Kingdom.
Unlike the natural abilities and talents with which we were blessed at birth, Spiritual Gifts are given to us when we’re reborn! Since God is not about to waste anything, they often line up with our natural aptitudes. Lists of these gifts are found in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4, but no two lists are identical and there are differences of opinion as to their number. From these three Epistles, there seem to be about twenty different Spiritual Gifts: exhortation, giving, leadership, mercy, prophecy, service, teaching, administration, apostle, discernment, faith, healings, helps, knowledge, miracles, tongues, tongues interpretation, wisdom, evangelism, and pastor. Mentioned elsewhere in the Epistles, are five other possible gifts: celibacy, hospitality, martyrdom, missionary, and voluntary poverty.
These Spiritual Gifts build God’s Kingdom in a variety of ministries including teaching, outreach, speaking, counseling, discipleship, serving, benevolence, practical assistance, visitation, shepherding, support and small group, and prayer. No gift is more important than another and all gifts are essential for the church. While the person gifted in service (the ability to see undone tasks in God’s work and get them done) is often unseen, the person gifted in hospitality (the ability to warmly welcome all people into home or church) may be front and center every Sunday at the church door as he welcomes people by name, introduces himself to visitors, and extends the hand of friendship by showing them around. The one gifted in pastoring (spiritually caring for, guiding, protecting, and feeding a group of believers) frequently needs those gifted in administration (the ability to steer people toward God-given goals by planning, organizing, and supervising).
Moreover, because He’s not a miser, in many cases, God blesses us with more than one gift and the lines often blur between one gift and another. The person gifted with knowledge (the desire to know as much as possible about the Bible) may also be gifted in teaching (the ability to instruct others for true understanding and growth). The gift of knowledge also might be combined with the gift of wisdom so that the person not only knows what God’s word says but also can see it’s application and relevance to real life situations. Since each gift is God-designed for each one of His children, it would seem that there aren’t just twenty or even twenty-five; there probably are as many gifts as there are people.
Just because we’re not gifted in something, however, is never an excuse for not doing it. Not being gifted with evangelism doesn’t mean we’re not called to share the Word or invite someone to church and not being gifted with hospitality doesn’t mean we don’t welcome visitors. We may not be gifted with intercession, but we still pray for one another and, while not gifted with giving, we can still pack a Christmas box for Samaritan’s purse. In fact, it often is by doing God’s work that we discover what our gifts actually are.
Unfortunately, just because the Holy Spirit has given us a gift doesn’t mean we’ll use it; it can remain as unused as the bath bombs your last guest brought. Using our gifts is up to us. The important thing is to be a good steward of whatever gifts we’ve been given. As for me, when that last day comes, I hope to hear God say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
Devotions of the Heart 