Using our gifts
In my previous post I mentioned a book I have been reading called “Identity Theft“. Another quote from the book that interested me was this one from chapter 6, talking about being members of a church:
“What’s more, the Lord has given each of us gifts—not to serve our own aims, but for “the common good” (1 Cor. 12:7). Before we were even born, God prepared specific opportunities for us to use those gifts to serve his body (Eph. 2:10). This means we will assist the church’s work however we can. We greet visitors, make phone calls, knock on doors, practice hospitality, assemble casseroles, hold babies, organize Bible studies, visit widows, welcome strangers, and disciple younger women. We will also have the blessing of receiving ministry from others. In the church, we will be greeted, welcomed, served, taught, and prayed for by others who are using their own gifts. In all the various tasks of the church, we each live out our identity.”
What struck me in particular was the examples of how we as women can use our gifts to serve others in the church. We all know how important it is to use our gifts to serve others, but sometimes having young children and babies can make it really difficult to ‘serve’ in any official role in a church. Often we can feel like we aren’t really contributing or serving others, because we don’t have our names down on any (or many) particular list/s. Or we can feel pressured or ‘guilt-tripped’ into signing up to more responsibilities, when what we really need to do is focus on our priorities.
But the quote above reminded me how silly and superficial it is to think that it only counts as ‘serving’ or ‘using our gifts’ if it’s in an organised, official church role! Of course we can still serve others in this season. How many mums of young children make meals for others with new babies? How many of us make an effort to chat to new people at church, or help and disciple younger women? My experience is that it is often these very people that open their homes to others and care for those in the church community. In fact, being blessed by this more informal ministry of others in our churches is perhaps even more meaningful than someone who is merely fulfilling their assigned role in a dutiful manner. Especially if doing so is motivated mainly by a desire to look good!
Of course on top of these opportunities to serve and care for others in our churches, there is the most important ministry of training and caring for our children (and spouse). Using our gifts to fulfil these responsibilities is actually serving the church too. After all, they too are members of the church! We are modelling to younger church members what it means to raise a godly family and hopefully enabling our family members to also serve the church body.
I felt encouraged by this section of the book to keep using my gifts in what small ways I can to love and serve my church family – whether officially recognised or not!
