Dusty Gifts

Curling up with a gripping read is something I love to do, and I’m blessed to regularly receive novels from family or friends so that I rarely have to buy one. For ages, after reading them, I would keep these precious books on shelves or in boxes in the loft until I realized that I would never have time to reread them. Holding on to all these books without passing them on felt selfish; I was allowing them to gather dust instead of letting someone else delight in them. Knowing the novels were far better off with a new reader, I started giving them to friends, passing them on to charity shops, or leaving them in designated bookcases in train stations for commuters to enjoy. At first it was difficult to give them away, but now it’s second nature. And instead of looking back at the books I have read, I anticipate my next read. In a similar way, God entrusts us with gifts and talents to share with others. Sometimes we may be afraid to allow other people to see our gifts, and so we hide them away, but that isn’t what God intended. He doesn’t want our talents to become dusty and forgotten. Instead, like the books I have, they should be shared to help others and give them joy. God has given each of us gifts and talents, some we might not even recognize. And to Christians, Jesus also gives spiritual gifts. Even though we may be scared to share what God has given us, we can rely on the Holy Spirit (who lives in us once we’ve put our trust in Jesus) to help us. As we share the light of Jesus, we can trust in Him to reach out to the broken and lost through us. • Cindy Lee • Take a moment to reflect and thank God for your gifts. If you are unsure what they are, who is a trusted Christian in your life who could pray with you and tell you what they notice God doing in and through you? How could you share your gifts with others? • Are you afraid to use any of your gifts? Why? • In Jesus’s parable, why do you think the master (who represents God) said to his first two servants, “Come and share your master’s happiness” (Matthew 25:21, 23)? • Consider taking a moment to reflect on how others have shared their gifts with you and to thank God for the impact they’ve had on your life. You could even thank this person and encourage them! Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)