“From him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building itself up in love by the proper working of each individual part” (Ephesians 4:16).
Years ago my husband gave me a gift— a set of two tea mugs, complete with little tea baskets for steeping the tea and lids to hold in the heat. They were beautiful.
I had a choice. I could leave them on the shelf and admire them, or I could put them to use. On their own they were pretty to see, but if they remained on the shelf, I would never get to enjoy the tea that I loved.
Today only one cup remains, chipped and stained and well-worn. But it has provided me warm tea on countless mornings.
Our God-given gifts are the same, my friend. We can leave our gifts on the shelf, safe from the dangers of use, never to be criticized or cracked … but never benefiting others. Or we can take our gifts off the shelf, trusting that in God’s hands the reward is worth the risk.
And let’s be honest—sometimes as owners of small, simple souls we find all the reasons in the world to leave our gifts on the shelf. We think someone else can do the same thing better or bigger or bolder. Or we minimize the value of our gift, wondering if it really matters at all. But our gifts—no matter what they are—are God-give for one purpose: that in the “proper working of each individual part” we build up in love the body of believers.
This year, let’s be brave. Let’s take our gifts off the shelf and offer them back to the Giver. And let’s ask Him to use our gifts to build up others in love.
Until next time,
Shelby
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