On spiritual gifts
Lately I've been pondering a lot about the spiritual gifts that I have. I've thought about serving and giving. Maybe teaching too. These things turn me on, like drinking Redbull but without needing to buy and drink anything. But I tend to ask: what counts as a spiritual gift, really?
It depends on what you're talking about. In Romans 12, seven gifts are mentioned. These are often called the 7 motivational gifts because it identifies what most motivates the one with the gift. They are:
Can you see it? It answers the question, why are you doing this? What's your motive? There could be a few answers, but usually only one touches most deeply among them all. Yours could be different from mine. For myself, I love to serve and give. And teach. Actually, even when I'm teaching, I teach to serve. I don't teach to get paid, gain respect, show my knowledge, etc (although it comes as a by-product). I don't really teach to prophesy, to encourage, to lead, or to show mercy. This might sound ridiculous, but maybe I don't even teach to teach. I've discovered that my main motive is to serve and to give.
The fact that I'd bother writing all this down, studying what counts as spiritual gifts and laying them out systematically, shows the part of me that functions in the motivational gift of teaching. But on my motivations list, it's still a bit lower down compared to serving and giving.
I've still got more layers to peel as I study myself, identifying the unique attributes God has fashioned in me, in order to put myself appropriately in the Body of Christ, carrying out my specific life assignment.
Like Andy Stanley said, the goal is this: Only do what only you can do.
Reference: Morris, R. The Blessed Life, 2002, p. 132.
Lately I've been pondering a lot about the spiritual gifts that I have. I've thought about serving and giving. Maybe teaching too. These things turn me on, like drinking Redbull but without needing to buy and drink anything. But I tend to ask: what counts as a spiritual gift, really?
It depends on what you're talking about. In Romans 12, seven gifts are mentioned. These are often called the 7 motivational gifts because it identifies what most motivates the one with the gift. They are:
- Prophecy (perceiving)
- Ministry (serving)
- Teaching
- Exhortation (encouraging)
- Giving
- Leading (administration/ruling)
- Mercy
Can you see it? It answers the question, why are you doing this? What's your motive? There could be a few answers, but usually only one touches most deeply among them all. Yours could be different from mine. For myself, I love to serve and give. And teach. Actually, even when I'm teaching, I teach to serve. I don't teach to get paid, gain respect, show my knowledge, etc (although it comes as a by-product). I don't really teach to prophesy, to encourage, to lead, or to show mercy. This might sound ridiculous, but maybe I don't even teach to teach. I've discovered that my main motive is to serve and to give.
The fact that I'd bother writing all this down, studying what counts as spiritual gifts and laying them out systematically, shows the part of me that functions in the motivational gift of teaching. But on my motivations list, it's still a bit lower down compared to serving and giving.
I've still got more layers to peel as I study myself, identifying the unique attributes God has fashioned in me, in order to put myself appropriately in the Body of Christ, carrying out my specific life assignment.
Like Andy Stanley said, the goal is this: Only do what only you can do.
Reference: Morris, R. The Blessed Life, 2002, p. 132.
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