To my friends with the gift of prophesy, I encourage you to spend time in prayer to seek out the heart and mind of God. And then speak. Share with those to whom you are directed, and speak. Your words do not need to be long and flowing, you do not need to be in a pulpit. You have a gift of speaking forth the words of God and should touch the lives of others with them. But also, I encourage you to be mindful. Words can build up and they can tear down. Out of the same mouth can come blessing and curse. At times you will have words for others but will add your own, perhaps unintentionally. You should also ask God for a discerning heart to know how to give a message, when to give a message, what message to give (sometimes less is more) and if to give it at all. There are times when God reveals things to you so that you can pray for others.
To my friends with the gift of serving, I encourage you to give all your strength as if serving our Lord Jesus himself. When you work , do not seek the praise of man, but look for the pleasure of God upon you. Your service might go unnoticed by some, but it will be appreciated by God. Your gift frees up others to use theirs and you must never devalue what God has given you. But also, I encourage you to be mindful. Take care that your wonderful gift of serving does not subtly shift into a salvation by works. Hard work is a good thing, but it should not be a goal or a measure of faith. Take care not to judge others who do not see things the same way as you. Yours is a gift to be appreciated in others but never demanded.
To my friends with the gift of teaching, I give thanks for your faithfulness to God's Word. I encourage you to persevere in your own learning so that you have more bounty to share with others. Thank you for helping us understand more about the complexities of the Bible and for your dedication towards truth. But also, I encourage you to be mindful. Take care that you do not place truth above love, or try to rationalise harsh words that express your own anger and claim that these are only true words spoken in love. We all hurt at the misrepresentation of God, but we must love one another into a better place. Your gift is one to treasure and nurture, but take care that you do not lose sight of the wood for the trees.
To my friends with the gift of encouragement, how we need to hear your voice this day. Your words, spoken, written and unspoken are a lifeblood to us in our walk with God. The strength you give is more than just praise, it is courage in our hearts and strength to our bones. Other gifts can be worshipped or devalued. Yours is often invisible. But know today that you are appreciated and loved more than you will ever know in this life. But also, I encourage you to be mindful. Just as you see the needs of others and find a way to give them courage and strength, so you must nurture your own need of encouragement. It is not possible to love others if we do not also love ourselves. And when the pain and stress come, take special care that you do not turn your words to cause pain, as a cry of help to let others know you are wounded. Instead, turn to the ear that is always willing to listen and to the arms that are always there to comfort.
To my friends with the gift of giving, I pray that you will continue to contribute generously to the needs of others. Your giving is a light in a dark place and through your gift, the work of God can move with power in the Church. Many will not appreciate the spiritual nature of your gift, but know that yours is a gift of life to many. You do not give for reward, but you will see the fruits of your giving in the transformed lives of many. But also, I encourage you to be mindful. Take care of the temptation to give with ulterior motive. Your wealth or contribution is a gift from Christ to his bride and you are a channel for this love. Do not let others give you power that corrupts or praise that deflects from other areas that merit those words if encouragement. Know that in your giving you are giving from and into the love of Christ.
To my friends with a gift of leadership, I pray a blessing on you as you help steer the ship on its journey. Your gifts of planning, motivation, vision casting and organisation help us in ways that many take for granted and some even oppose. We all need to remind ourselves that your gift of looking ahead and guiding is as spiritual as any other and is equally spirit led. The work you do behind the scenes is a blessing to us all and know that God sees what goes on behind closed doors, in your studies and places if inspiration. But also, I encourage you to be mindful. Yours is a gift that can lead to an abuse of power. Remember that a gift is not the same as a role or position. Some will put you on a pedestal and will start to follow you, not the Lord you follow. Do not forget to develop and encourage the gifts of others and take care to avoid shining the spotlight on yourself. Just as you lead others, allow yourself to be led. Then God can use you in powerful ways to grow the Kingdom.
To my friends with the gift of showing mercy, I rejoice that you are the hands and feet of Christ. You are the reminder to the world that ours is not a faith of rules, judgement and condemnation, but one of mercy, love and compassion. Through your actions, the world can touch and feel the love of Christ. You exemplify the great commands of Christ, his old and new. But also, I encourage you to be mindful. Take care that your remember to show yourself the mercy and love you show others. And as you show mercy, do it cheerfully, not with sombre face or bitterness in your heart. Show your mercy with the same giving spirit of the woman and the jar of expensive perfume. Then the world will taste and see that the Lord is good.
And together, my dear brother and sister, we are the body of Christ on earth. Only together can we be complete, not lacking in any gift. Lord, bind us together in love. Give us strength to not only tolerate one another but to deeply love and value one another.
Amen.
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