Knowing Our Gifts
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
-Luke 10:38-42
What are you really good at? Are you an incredible athlete? Are you great at word puzzles? Are you an amazing story teller? Can you make anyone feel welcomed and at home, anytime, anywhere? God has created each and every one of us with gifts, talents and abilities. Even those of us who feel we are perhaps deficient in abilities, God can use our inability as a gift to share with the world. A crucial part to our spiritual development and growth is knowing our gifts and using them for God’s glory.
Our Great End of the church for this month is “The Shelter, Nurture, and Spiritual Fellowship of the Children of God.” We all have complimentary gifts to share. This is what makes the Body of Christ functional. Some of us are gifted at providing shelter for God’s children. Others of us are naturally given to nurturing and growing spiritual gifts in other people. Still others of us are amazing at fostering fellowship among God’s people. Our teachers and volunteers are dedicating their lives to the spiritual development of God’s children.
God didn’t give us spiritual gifts to hoard. Just as Mary and Martha had a conflict of priorities, Jesus applauded both of them. Mary was attending to her spiritual development while Martha was providing sustenance and a meal for Jesus and the disciples. More important to Jesus, however, than the “what” of their behavior, was the “why” and “how” they went about using their gifts. Martha was working out of obligation and was distressed at the amount of work to be done. Mary was preoccupied spending time with Jesus and less concerned with preparing a fancy meal. Jesus doesn’t want Mary to lose that gift of time together. He encourages Martha to make a simple meal – giving her the opportunity to also be together. Perhaps Martha was working so hard for her own glory, not using her gifts for God’s glory.
As we serve in the church and share our gifts in the community, what is our heart’s desire? Are we hoping to receive accolades and thanks? Or are we quietly fulfilling our faithful calling to listen to God and respond? Are we using our gifts to God’s glory or our own?
You, O God, love beyond our deserving and ask us to do the same.
When we insist you must work according to our understanding, forgive us Lord.
When we believe that your word is full of nice but impractical ideas, forgive us Lord.
When we resist because you can’t possibly have meant that, forgive us Lord.
When we condense your life into only your death, forgive us Lord.
We confess that there are so many ways we refuse your call, hurt our neighbor, and threaten the creation you entrusted to our care. Have mercy on us, O God, in our brokenness. Help us, O God, to know you so well that we cannot help but love you, and to love you so much we cannot help but serve you, sharing your good news in every place, for it is in doing your will that we find perfect freedom. Amen.
