You Gotta Gift.
3 minute read
Packages are a big deal in our house. Whenever Amazon, FedEx or UPS pulls up, both kids run to the door, and my eldest shouts, “A package! A package! Is it for me?! Oh, I hope it’s for me. I hope it’s not for you mom. Please, please let it be for me!” My youngest typically echoes whatever he’s saying, so I’ve basically got a cheering section against me for a package’s final destination.
Crawford and I give free parenting classes if you want to know how to raise grateful, encouraging children.
While this is obviously a funny example, it has me thinking. Do you ever cheer for yourself to receive a gift? Do you ever cheer against someone else to receive one?
I’ll let you chew on that for a minute.
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You back? Whatever your answer to the aforementioned questions, I think we could all use a little redirection of our hearts for how to see gifts… especially the Spiritual kind.
Bob Goff urges us to tell people who they are. We don’t do this enough! At least I don’t. I’m far too focused on what I look like to see the good in others! And even if I do see it, I miss the opportunity to tell them about it!
In a book titled Humility: True Greatness by C.J. Mahaney I’m currently combing through, Mahaney instructs us to first see the attributes of grace in others before we focus on their faults. His example of this comes from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. Y’all the Corinthians were a troubled church. They were doing a whole lotta things wrong, and yet this is how Paul opens his letter to them in 1 Cor 1:1-9:
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
He calls them sanctified and holy. He wishes them grace and peace and says how thankful He always is for them for their grace. He calls them enriched with speech and knowledge not lacking in any spiritual gift, blameless before Christ, and called by God. That’s a pretty dang good resume.
In first acknowledging and focusing on their attributes of grace (aka their gifts!), he realigns His own heart to God’s and at the same time, he softens theirs to receive any forthcoming redirection and correction. These attritubes of grace can be seen by way of fruits of the spirit as well as spiritual gifts. Starting with the fruits…
THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT
Galatians 5:22-23
LOVE
JOY
PEACE
PATIENCE
KINDNESS
GOODNESS
GENTLENESS
FAITHFULNESS
SELF-CONTROL
If you are in Christ, guess what? You actually already have ALL of these fruits. Yep. The Holy Spirit lives inside of you, and He really doesn’t go anywhere with out his fruit basket. While it seems like some of these might be more robust than others, they’re all there my friend. Chances are you see some that need some pruning and tending. I personally see a lot that need some tending. So how do we do this? Well, we ask the ultimate advocate and helper aka The Holy Spirit who just so happens to be the lender of the fruit to help you cultivate that garden baby!
You want to know another way we can cultivate these fruits? Short answer : Abide in God. Walking with him by engaging in the spiritual disciplines of studying the word, prayer, and corporate worship, fruit can’t help but grow and grow. Moving on toward Spiritual gifts…
SPIRITUAL GIFTS
Romans 12:6-8; 1 Cor 12:8-10 & 12:28; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Peter 4:11
Preaching
Service
Teaching
Encouragement
Generosity
Leadership
Kindness
Wisdom
Special Knowledge
Faithfulness
Healing
Performance of Miracles*
Prophesy
Discernment
Speaking in Tongues*
Interpretation of Tongues*
Apostles
Prophesy*
Evangelists
Speaking Publicly
Helping Others
Wow, these are pretty specific, wouldn’t you say? For me, it’s hard to see what I’m good at vs. what I’m not so good at, so process of elimination might be a good process for you. Ex: Your girl here ain’t no teacher. In fact, teaching exhausts me. This is clearly a huge test for me daily considering I have two children at my feet I’m quite literally supposed to be teaching how to live life. Praise be for the Lord’s strength and guidance to help me teach the things I can (aka Jesus loves you, this package is for Mom, you can’t always get what you want, but Jesus does still love you, and the Rolling Stones are an incredible band you need to learn about… Alexa: play the Rolling Stones.) and for their incredible pre-school teachers for helping with the rest.
I encourage you to pray through these gifts and start noticing them in others. If this is really hard for you, ask your spouse or someone close to you to help you identify them! And do the same in return. It. Will. Bless. You.
Father God! Thank you for the best gift of all - your Son Jesus. And what a generous God to keep pouring out lasting gifts on us by way of the Fruits of the Spirit and Spiritual Gifts. We are completely unworthy of really any of these gifts, yet here you are in your grace and mercy - freely giving. Let us receive these gifts with grateful hearts Lord. Let us cultivate them in our own lives by pointing them out in others! We need your eyes, your ears, your heart, and your tongue to do this please Father. In your Son’s perfect name I pray, Amen.
Sunday/Monday: 1 Cor 1:1-9
What evidences of grace does Paul point out to the Corinthians?
Tuesday: Gal 5:22-23
Which of these do you see more clearly in yourself?
Which of these do you need extra help from the Holy Spirit to cultivate?
Wednesday: Gal 5:22-23
Yes it’s the same passage ;) Which of these fruits do you see in your spouse? Children? Friends? Tell them!
Thursday: Romans 12:6-8; 1 Cor 12:8-10 & 12:28
Who comes to mind when you read these gifts? Tell them!
Friday: Ephesians 4:11; 1 Peter 4:11
Who comes to mind when you read these gifts? Tell them!
Saturday: Hebrews 3:12-13
We receive the Fruits of the Spirit by believing in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Have you done this? What’s holding you back? Email me!!!!
*You gonna have to check with your church home to see what they believe on these gifts. I’m personally wrestling with how to view this Secondary Doctrine of whether or not these gifts with an asterisk still exist in present day. If this is confusing, disregard it. Keep the main thing the main thing: Jesus!