Do you truly “have” your gifts?

Realizing mine, I decided to take matters into my own hands. It’s risky, but sometimes we just need to leap. I mean, come on, reading about it or theorizing isn’t enough – until you act, you don’t truly “have” the gift.

 

While in Nicaragua over the last two weeks, I stayed with some of our Long Term Missionaries. Every time I visit, I spend precious time with them in preparation, ministry, and sometimes the aftermath. As you could probably guess, I see and hear it all, as do they. Upon this arrival, like the first time, I saw and heard their hearts, and got to see them in action with the natives. That was enough for me, but almost three years later, I’m even more in love with it all – their hearts for the Lord, their vision, their ministry, and the people they serve, and that makes me want to see them flourish all-the-more. But sometimes you see hope slipping in areas uncontrollable, places where they don’t possess a voice, and it breaks your heart. 

 

Have you ever noticed such a thing in the people you love? 

 

I began to see glimmers of hope, at least for myself, when the realization hit me–I can help.

 

It dawned on me that I have been given a shepherd’s heart (you may have heard this called “the pastor” from Ephesians 4). I was made to take care of people, and take care of people I will. This means I have a voice that is heard, and sometimes not enough. Granted, I could say to myself, “They are grown and can care for themselves”, but is that what it’s about, letting people handle their own when they aren’t even heard? The answer is a clear “no” and there is always an honorable way. We have to see our people as Jesus would–worth it.

 

Concerns, heartache, and more can accumulate on us, and though we may be grown or appear to have it together, we still need a helping hand often. That’s what I saw, and that’s what I decided to do. 

 

I love these people, and I have the gift to care for people, protect them, and make things happen, therefore I will. There are no “buts” about it, I will go before them (John 10:3-4).

 

Question after question and note after note, I took it upon myself to kill two birds with one stone and assumed a job that I did not have an official title for, but I couldn’t just sit back and stare any longer simply hoping that things would eventually get better. I had to make sure they are taken care of. I couldn’t go out without making a move on their behalf.

 

Problem. Solution. Problem. Solution. That’s what it looks like, and that’s what gives the first stretch of hope. It’s been presented, shared, and handed off, and now it’s up to those with the other gifts (Ephesians 4) to assume their job–title or not–and take care of their people.

 

You have been given a voice–use it–and work together with others to care for the Kingdom and those in it. And don’t forget that sometimes the job looks as simple as making people feel valued by meeting their needs as we remember, there is always an honorable way.