SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1183

“God Given Ability”

You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill …See, I have called by name Bezalel … and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship – Exodus 28:3; Exodus 31:2-3

My working life has spanned six decades. I started out looking for a job, any job, to simply earn income. Then came career choices – what to study; what to specialize in and so on. The objective was to earn maximum income doing what I liked to do. I subscribed to the false philosophy that the one who dies with the most toys wins.

Then I met Jesus and He changed my perspective.

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men… You are serving the Lord Christ. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? – Colossians 3:23,24; Matthew 16:26

From that point forward I came to realize that all that I am, all my abilities and skills were not the result of chance genetics, study, and college degrees. All that shaped me was by God’s grace and from Him. My abilities and talents are gifts from God and activated by His Holy Spirit for His purposes and for His glory. I became a steward of God’s varied grace.

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: – 1 Peter 4:10

Can I submit to you that the gifts of the Spirit do not stop with the gifts of prophecy, speaking in tongues etc.?

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. – 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Plumbers, surgeons, carpenters, nurses, janitors, engineers, technicians, singers, dancers, teachers – you name the career field and its abilities are all God-given and to be used for His glory and to fulfill His purposes. No matter what our hands are doing, they are the hands of God reaching out to bless others.

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. – Romans 12:4-8

I am about to embark on yet another, perhaps my last, career change. As I wrote my business planning roadmap: Vision, Mission, Purpose etc. I reflected on how different this one was compared to the early plans before I came to know Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. I now seek to serve Him by serving others in His Name and for His glory. Unlike past corporations that I have worked for, I now work for God as the ultimate CEO with unlimited resources to provide my needs.

Are you at a career choice junction? Are you trying to decide what educational field of study to pursue? Do you have gifts and talents that bless others? How will you use them?

Recognize first and foremost that your gifts, talents, ‘your shape’ if you will, is from God and according to His perfect plan for you – and for others whose lives you will touch.

But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. – Isaiah 64:8

Prayerfully analyze your motives driving your choices. Are you seeking first the mammon of this world, money, power, prestige? Our primary motive is to seek Him and His will. All that we need for living in this world He will faithfully provide.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.  – Matthew 6:33; John 15:5; Philippians 4:13

Be blessed and enjoy the journey, walking with Christ.