Hunger for the Harvest Day 17: Helping Others

Consider the gifts God has given you and serve someone a tall drink of God’s living water (John 4:10)!

As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God … whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified. 1 Peter 4: 10, 11

The term servant may be politically incorrect in this day and age, but it is a term that the Bible uses consistently. How do we name servants today? We have house cleaners, waitstaff, or hosts in restaurants. We have employees, associates, or administrative assistants in stores and businesses. We have cleaners, cooks, and cabin crew. Firefighters, police officers, and EMTs help us. Construction workers, farm workers, and landscape workers create for us. Some of these jobs may be our own work, and although we may not be an employer, we interact with, purchase from, or hire many of these people in our day-to-day living. We serve others and are served by many.

Undoing bonds and ropes can lighten the burden of those who work for you (Isaiah 58:6b). Offer a cold drink to your lawn worker, return the clothes you tried on to the rack and be patient and friendly when you reach the front of a long line or you finally get a person to talk with when making a phone call to a business. I try to leave written directions for my petsitter. When you hire a housecleaner, you might clear off what collects on the tables or your kid’s beds to make it easier for them to actually clean!

Do you know your spiritual gift? Special gifts and spiritual gifts are specified in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12 and Ephesians 4. Read these passages and ask God to show you what your gift might be and how you can use it during this season of serving.

For example, my top two spiritual gifts are teaching and shepherding. Just giving money to a cause, although a great way to follow God’s commands, doesn’t use my gifts and isn’t as fulfilling for me. But organizing a team of people to give money and buy gifts together is where I shine. Also, when I volunteer at Salty Family Services and have an opportunity to speak to and gently “teach” someone about how wonderful God is, I see His power soar!

Google http://www.freeshapetest.com for an assessment to find out your spiritual gifts.

Whatever your spiritual gift is, Peter reminds us to use it in service to others. One of the greatest connections is to ask yourself how your spiritual gift may be used in your job, your family, in your volunteering, or in choosing a job.

As you use your own spiritual gifts to serve, you lighten your own burden! I don’t have the spiritual gift of  “nursery” like many fulfilled Christians, although I may serve that way if really needed for a special event, I always feel weak and unqualified. But let me serve by mentoring parents on providing a secure job and a home environment that fulfills their vision for their children, and see me soar! This is how the added strength that He supplies supernaturally shows up when you use your gift! Seeing God’s power at work through your gifts emphasizes His grace and saves a space to glorify His work.

How might God be calling you to serve with the gifts He has given you?

Start out by observing other people with your gifts. Then ask if you can help them out.

Savor the time you spend serving in your gifts.

Keep an eye out for others who might be blessed by doing the same and invite them to observe. He will be glorified!

God, You have uniquely made me. I celebrate that! Show me not only the need for me to serve, but the specific way You want me to serve and show off the joy You grace me with when I am obedient. Amen.