BE A GOOD STEWARD OF YOUR GIFTS AND MINISTRY
SCRIPTURE: 1 PETER 4: 10 (AMPL)
”As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
In God’s own wisdom, He has given every believer spiritual gifts with which to serve Him, and to be a blessing to others, especially in the local church. Why did He do this? There are several reasons for this. Two reasons are that, firstly, He wants every believer to be an active and productive part of the church’s life and ministry. Secondly, it’s because He wants the church to grow and be able to change and impact our world.
Those who just attend church services and do not contribute further with their time, spiritual gifts, talents, financial resources, etc are surely not doing enough. Such believers are failing to be good managers or stewards of God’s gift and grace. It is important, therefore, to settle it with yourself that you have a spiritual gift or gifts. It is your responsibility also to seek counsel from your pastors, especially to find out what having these gifts means and how to use them to serve the church. You must also do well to study about it in Christian literature.
A spiritual gift is a supernatural ability given by God to Christians for service or ministry. A talent is a natural ability. Every human being has one talent or another. Spiritual gifts, however, are given to God’s children only. Remember also that not knowing your gift is not an excuse. That’s why you must submit to pastors and church leaders and be taught in this area of service. You must have a genuine desire to study and to know about it so that you can make a difference in your local church and the world for God.
Remember this; the presence of a spiritual gift means that you have a responsibility to play your role in ministry, especially under the leadership of your pastors. Moreover, the presence of a gift also means that you have a divine obligation to grow and be faithful to use this gift to serve God wholeheartedly as a good steward of His.
Did you notice that the scripture expects you to be a good steward or manager? What does this mean?
God’s expectation is that you use your gifts to effectively serve His people especially. If you do so, then you would then have fulfilled the tag, ” good stewards.” However, the question is, is every believer serving under their pastor, in their local church as expected? Unfortunately, the answer is No. Sometimes, laziness, ignorance of one’s gift, the lack of submission to one’s local church leader and selfishness are some of the reasons for this.
However, the excuses of some do not change God’s standard and expectation. Ask yourself now, “are you serving your local church at all? Do you know what your gifts are? Are you serving with your gift?” Or are you full of excuses when you are needed to serve with your gifts? Do you go to church just to socialise or to serve as well? Do you know that it is also expected of managers to be faithful and accountable? Meditate on these things.
PRAYER
I thank you, Father, for a reminder of this awareness of my stewardship. As I serve your church with the gifts you have given me, help me also to submit to my local church pastors, as they teach and train me to use these gifts. Thank you for grace to be a faithful and wise manager of your gifts and abilities in me in Jesus’s name, Amen.
FURTHER READING (NKJV)
MATTHEW 21:28-31
[28]“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’
[29]He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went.
[30]Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go.
[31]Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to Him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.
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