Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ.
I Peter 4:10-11
This passage asks four things of us. We are to use our gifts, serve one another, speak with respect and reverence and know that God will give us the strength to accomplish great things.
We have many talents. Be still and explore what gifts you have to share. The first instant may be to write a check for charity. There are simple ways to serve that don’t require much in the way of finances. Do you recycle so that the Earth we inherited can be preserved? Have you phoned a shut in or a lonely person to brighten her day? Your gift may be a smile or complimenting someone on his tie. When a person is on the prayer list; send a card. It’s heartwarming to receive a message from someone who isn’t a close friend or relative. Have you let someone go ahead of you in the checkout line? Everyone has a gift to give.
The use of profanity is prevalent in our society. Would this be acceptable to God? The tone of our voice and the words that we use to convey messages can be objectionable. The gift of speech can be a reflection of our love of Jesus.
There are difficulties in everyone’s life. Some problems are more devastating than others. Knowing that God IS and that God KNOWS and that God will give us strength, is all we need.
Lorraine Taylor
