Romans 12:3-8

Most of us do not have talent. We do not have the 1/300,000,000+ kind of talent it takes to win America’s Got Talent. Most of us do not have enough talent to win a local talent show. If everyone had talent, then it would be no big deal, but we do not, and that truth should not cause us shame.

The church makes a huge mistake when they think of gifts of the spirit in the same way the world thinks of talent. We do not see evidence in the church that the Holy Spirit is giving people a supernatural ability to do things that normal people cannot do.  Authors have written hundreds of books about gifts of the spirit. Some of them are good, and some of them miss the mark badly. Gifts of the spirit are about the body of Christ doing the work of the church. Most of the work of the church does not require supernatural or super talented ability. It requires people willing to do what needs doing.

John was the most unhandy handyman I have ever met. If it seemed impossible to do it imperfectly, he would still find a way to mess it up. Yet in the seven years I was associated with his church, almost every project included his help. He was always there. He went on every working mission trip the church sent. He would carry what needed carried, dig the holes that needed dug, swing a hammer to drive the nails that needed driven and anything else that needed doing. Nobody would call him talented; everybody called him committed and dedicated. I believe John had the gift of service. God did not give John special ability; God gave him the gift opportunity. Because John was willing to serve, he recognized every opportunity as a gift from God and took it. John played a part, a huge part, in building God’s kingdom. John did not look for God’s gift of ability; he looked for God’s gift of opportunity.