As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Peter 4:10)
“Each one” includes you. Every one of us has been graced by God with spiritual gifts for the purpose of building his church (Rom. 12:6).
You may think you have nothing or that need a special qualification before you can serve. Maybe you think that you are disqualified by your gender or pedigree. That is not what the Bible says.
You are qualified by the Lord.
The grace of God that empowered the apostles, empowers you.
If God has gifted you to speak, then speak as though you’re speaking the very words of God, and let no one silence you.
“Manifold grace” means God’s grace comes in a variety of flavors. The original word for manifold means motley and is suggestive of a “many-colored tapestry” (to quote the Passion Translation). It means God’s grace and giftings come in unlimited varieties.
Limit God and you limit yourself. You put constraints on what God can do through you.
Just as it is a mistake to limit God, it’s a mistake to think his gifts and grace conform to traditional ministry types. For every problem in the world and every need that we face, the Creator has a creative and life-giving solution.
You may yet not know what special gift God has given you, but you can be sure he has given you something, and it’s perfect for you, and just what the world needs.
Question of the week: How does the kingdom of heaven suffer violence?
Word of the week: Inheritance
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