Gifted

What are you gifted to do? Do you sew? Are you a good cook? Can you paint or draw? Do you sing? Are you a gifted actor/actress? Can you decorate? Are you a great money manager? An effective organizer? A great teacher? An expert mechanic?

I want to draw your attention to a gifted and obscure Bible character. Bezalel. Ever heard of him? God certainly gifted him. Read about him.

Exodus 31:1-5 (NKJV)
1  Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
2  "See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.
3  And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
4  to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze,
5  in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.

Bezalel was a gifted craftsman. He could build and design. His gifts and talents were used to build the Tabernacle. He had help but Bezalel was the leader on the project. God called him to the task. He was empowered by the Holy Spirit to build. 

Some are empowered by God to sing, dance, organize, manage, lead, design, build, write, teach, repair, create, craft and many other things. God creates people with purpose. They are to use their gifts to glorify Him and to help others. Sometimes I come across people who seem gifted in multiple areas. 

You may be gifted in some areas and not gifted in others. I am not a gifted mechanic nor carpenter. Both things frustrate me to no end. The standing joke among Brenda and the boys is when I reach for a tool they start praying. I do not have a mechanical mind. I never have. I actually tried to rotate the tires on my bicycle. It did not dawn on me until I had secured both tires again that my new back wheel did not have a sprocket for the chain. I am not even sure if sprocket is the right word. 

I once tried to change the spark plugs on my mower. A mechanic friend caught my error where I cross threaded them, whatever that means. He made a deal that he would maintain the mower if I promised to leave it alone. A deal I gladly made. 

While we may not be gifted in some areas there are others that come easily. Things God designed us to do. I have long held a faint flicker of a dram to learn to play the piano. I hear gifted musicians and stand in awe. I spent one year in the band back in seventh grade. Nobody ever accused me of being a gifted musician. I once tried to learn to play the guitar. I worked hard on a song. I played it for Brenda asking for feedback. She was not impressed and I never played again. I have short stubby fingers. Not exactly piano playing or guitar strumming material.

Some people love technology. They love computers, programs, apps, gadgets and gizmos. I am adverse to all the above. I would not even know how to make these posts if a friend did not write me out step by step instructions years ago how to do it. I still hand write my sermons and Bible studies. I prefer an old fashioned calendar. I have a smart phone but am not smart enough to use a fraction of the features on it. People from time to time try to show me how to do things like maintain a website. They say, "All you have to do is push this button." Problem is I cannot even find that button to push when trying on my own. That is not my area of giftedness.

So I can rule out carpentry, mechanical, comtuters and music off my gifted list. You have your lists too. Instead of focusing on what we are not gifted to do let's focus on what we were designed to do. There is something God hardwired into you. It is that thing that makes you feel most alive when you are doing it. For some it is working in the kitchen to prepare an elaborate meal. For others it is decorating homes with furniture and accessories. Some are gifted salesmen and saleswomen. They can sell anything and have never met a stranger. Others are gifted baking. They create phenomenal deserts and pastries. Some are gifted in areas of leadership. You give them a project and a team and they will get the job done. Some are gifted with numbers. They are at home with calculators and punching those numbers to balance budgets, do income tax returns, and manage people's money in banks and investment companies. 

I don't know your gifting but I know God gave you something. I hope by this time you have discovered that something and you put it into use. I hope you use your gift to bless others and glorify God. Just a little reminder to use your gift. 

Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV) 

10  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.