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He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers. Exodus 35:35
When we were young our play centered on success. Little girls played house and had tea parties in which the kids were good, the husbands loving and food was plentiful. They shopped for the nicest clothes and paid for them with play money, money they could play with again tomorrow.
Little boys were cops that always got their man, ball players that always made the winning hit or shot to bring the trophy home. They were the strongest and the best. They never got heart and if they did, they were better tomorrow. They worked at offices and drove the nicest cars and had the best homes and always seemed to have time for golf or fishing or time at home doing what they wanted.
If only real life were like that! Later in life reality sets in. Money isn’t as easy to get, clothes don’t fit they way they want, we miss the winning shot or strike out with two out and the bases loaded. The sense of failure, frustration and anger sets in, and soon we fight the feelings of uselessness.
Here’s a newsflash for you. This country wasn’t made great by the champions of the ball field. We didn’t become the people we were because of politicians or lawyers or professors holding court in the best universities.
The real movers and shakers that made this country great were the farmers who spent long hours tilling ground that may or may not produce a crop this year to reward them for their labors. Advances in technology and medical research came got their start because of kindergarten and elementary teachers that believed in the students they had. Leaders in all facets of life can trace their heritage to parents or parent figures who taught them that they could indeed be all they wanted to be and gave them the opportunities to grow.
God is a God of excellence. He doesn’t look to the strong and mighty to get the job done. He looks to the craftsmen, those skilled in gifts that he, himself gave them. He didn’t announce the birth of his son to priests, but to lowly shepherds. He didn’t choose a prominent metropolitan area for the King of Kings to be born in, but a small, unimportant hamlet. He didn’t choose a princess or a queen to carry the infant Messiah, but a poor, obscure peasant girl.
When it was time to build a place for almighty God to dwell, he chose simple willing, gifted people to prepare it. People like you and I who were created and empowered by the gifts that he molded us to have.
We are created by almighty God to do his work. We are gifted by God to glorify God, not to impress men. If God has gifted you to serve and placed you at a fast-food joint, serve to his glory. If he’s gifted you to clean and placed you in a hotel, make every room clean for his glory, not for the management’s sake.
1 Peter 4:10 tells us that, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” Where ever you are, whatever you are doing, you are gifted by God. Don’t let the world tell you otherwise!
PRAYER: Lord God, I thank you for who I am. I praise you for the way you have gifted me. Empower me by your Spirit to use the gifts you have given me to glorify you, not to impress men. Amen.
Each of you has been blessed with one of God’s many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well. 1 Peter 4:10 (CEV)
Suppose you had a very important job to do and money was no object. Would you settle for some inexpensive tool to complete the job or would you search for the very best tool available to complete the task?
No doubt the answer to this question would be something like, “The best tool available of course! I’d want to do the very best job and I’d spare nothing to get the best tool for it.”
Your Heavenly Father feels the same way. He has a job to do. His job is to tell the world all about his great love for others. He wants to let people of all ages, races and ethnic groups to know that he longs to spend eternity with them. He sees people struggling with addictions, relational difficulties, financial ruin and abuse that he is the great healer and wants to touch them with his hand of love. He wants people struggling with the effects of illness and natural disasters that he has everything under control.
So, what tool does the Almighty, creator-God of the universe have at his disposal to get the word out about his great love, mercy and forgiveness? You. Yep. You read that right. You are the best tool God has to accomplish this great work.
Now, you may be saying to yourself, “He could never use me. I’m not very talented; or have too many mistakes in my past; or have too many other things going on in my life right now to be used by God.”
All that is simply untrue by the way. God’s great plan for all mankind, no matter where they are in life, is to show them his great love and forgiveness. His best tool for that is people. Peter tells us that every one of us has gifts to be used for his glory. No gift is more important than any other.
You may be blessed by being the leader of a huge ministry that reaches thousands of people for Christ. You may have a day-care in your home. You may be flipping burgers at a local fast food joint or cleaning restrooms at a shopping mall. Where ever you are in life, God has given you gifts to be used for his glory.
Don’t let your past keep you from helping others with their future. Don’t let society lead you to believe what you do isn’t important. You are your Father’s best hope for telling others of your love. The things you do today may very well change someone’s life for eternity.
PRAYER: Father God. I’m so unworthy of your great love. There are so many times I feel weak, inadequate for the task ahead of me or simply unimportant. So many times I get too busy to think of others and how I can make a difference. Thank you for gifting me with things I can do to help others. Empower me with your Spirit to proudly use the gifts you’ve given me for your glory. In Jesus name, Amen.
Built with Grace 