Motivational Gifts

Romans 12:6-8, “⁶ In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. ⁷ If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. ⁸ If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”

                I know some of you know and understand these gifts of motivation or service better than I do. There are so many people coming to the Lord that have never heard of them Ifeel called to let them to know more about how God works and what He calls us to. So please bear with me and allow God to led. You might be surprised like me what you might learn that you thought you knew. I seem to learn a little more about God everyday as I study so you might to.

Today when we think about the gift of teaching we often think of a person teaching Sunday school or some other class but the Gift of teaching is more about a person who asks why and seeks understanding of God’s Word so they can grow and in turn share that knowledge of the truth for the edification and uplifting of the body of Christ. This is an area that is critical to the health and development of the church. When believers are not trained they are easily led astray. Teaching is not preaching it is more of an instruction for edification than a call to repentance that you will see in preaching.

The gift of encouragement or exhortation is one of my favorite gifts to see at work within the body of believers and if there was ever a gift that each member of the body could or should desire it is this one. It is in the encouraging of one another that we grow and become who God has called us to be. Last night I was at the funeral home like many of you. The gift of encouragement was working well there last night it was a celebration of the passing of a wonderful Godly women and the family showed such peace and it was felt as soon as you walked into the building. It was not a sad time like so many can be but the encouragement that had been shown in the life we celebrated was given back in the love of the family it really emphasized the gift of encouragement. I aspire to have that effect on those I care about and so should each of us. But it requires we speak the truth in love and with the purpose to build one another up in the lord that is the gift of exhortation.

The gift of giving is not as simple as we make it out to be. We all automatically think those who have been financially blessed should give to the support of God’s church. It is important but it is also the gift or sacrifice of an individual’s time or other talents. If you have been given the gift of teaching are you using it? If you have been given the ability to minister through exhortation do you do it? Do you lead well? Does your kindness reach those around you or do you just not have time to be the person God has called you to be? The giving to meet financial needs is important to the church but so are the gifts God has placed on you for service. If God has blessed you with money give it abundantly and with a cheerful heart. He has also given every believer one of these seven gifts and desires you use it for the uplifting of the body.

Has God given you a desire to lead? Do you see something that needs to be done and you step up and take charge. Do it with an understanding of why you are leading if it is for personal recognition you might as well stop. God calls leaders to meet the needs of others and intern you should receive satisfaction from the fact you have led well. Leadership is not about position it is about the act of service. We must always remember Jesus instruction when we are in leadership, “the greatest of these is servant to all” never allow your title to determine who you are. Leadership is much more than a title and position it is about making tough choices that are going to benefit the body of believers and further God’s kingdom.

Last but not least mercy or kindness when I think about this gift I can tell you there are Christians who do not have this or even think about it as a gift. We can be the hardest of people and not willing to forgive of any people in the world. I honestly believe we have forgotten that if it was not for God’s mercy we would all be dying and going to hell. All Christians should have a certain level of mercy one towards another and even more towards the world around us that does not know Jesus. I realized some time ago except for the grace of God I could be in any number of situations that would seem terrible to me and my family. But in God’s mercy he has brought me through and out of those places. Showing mercy is required of every believer but some have abundance of this gift use it well.

I close by telling you if the body of Christ will allow these seven gifts to function in and outside of the church we would live in a different world. I challenge you to examine yourself and determine what gift God has placed upon you and start there use it and develop the others for the Glory of God. Have a blessed day.