The gift of God
Verse of the Day: 1 Peter 4 :10 “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms”
Each of us has a gift and if it is a gift, it means that you have received it for free. The verse of the day asks us to use the gifts received from God by putting them at the service of others. In other words, the gifts that God has given us are not an opportunity to get rich by exploiting others, but God can use them to bless us even though the main reason for giving is to serve others. A mango tree does not eat oranges but men come looking for fruits. Likewise, the gift that God has placed in you must bless others before blessing you. It is the others who bless you in return after being blessed by your gift.
The verse says that there are several kinds of gifts: it can be a gift to singing, preaching, teaching, the knowledge of technology, expertise in business ...
All that you possess (even physical beauty) and attract others is a gift from God. The gift makes you different from others and if you are not careful, you might be drunk by praise and amazement of the crowd and think that you are extraordinary. You are not extraordinary but you are ordinary and it is the gift in you which is extraordinary and will ultimately make you important and all the glory should go back to your creator.
It is for this reason that Paul wrote to the Corinthians, saying: “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Cor 4: 7).
So what is the price of God’s gift? According to Jesus, in the kingdom of God, no one should sell his gift because if you received it for free, you should use it to serve others for free (Matthew 10: 8). Worldly people sell their gifts to make money but a child of God should make his gift available without selling it. A servant of God should not demand money before teaching the Word of God. A Christian musician should not require money to lead the people of God in praise. Every financial support should come from the heart and not a condition (2 Corinthians 9: 7)
To Him alone be the glory
Chris Ndikumana
