Every Good Gift - Author Marsha A. Malcolm

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." (James 1:17, NKJV)
 
There are some things I've never been able to do. I can mend a hem, but don't ask me to produce complicated stitches. I can cook well enough, but my meals pale in comparison to my mother's. I can sing, but not exceptionally well. And forget about eye liner. I've never been able to apply it correctly. Don't even mention contouring and highlighting; I'm not ready.
 
Imagine a situation where my church building is being refurbished and they need someone to make curtains. What if they're going to put on a concert and sell food to raise funds? I couldn't make the curtains for the stage; I would never try to sell anything I cook; nobody in their right mind would pay money for the privilege of listening to me, and I couldn't even help the performers with their makeup. There are so many things that come naturally to others that completely mystify me. And you know what? I'm perfectly okay with that.
 
The Bible tells us that every good gift and every perfect gift is from God (James 1:17). And while reference is made to several gifts of the spirit in 1 Corinthians 12, I don't believe that those gifts (faith, healing, and more) are the only ones we can be given. People are, in my opinion, gifted in innumerable ways. In fact, we learn in Exodus 35 that during the building of the Tabernacle, gifted craftsmen were specifically tasked with making various elements of the place of worship (see verses 34 and 35). In verse 10, Moses called on "gifted artisans" to "make all that the Lord [had] commanded" (NKJV), including the tent, the anointing oil, the priests' clothes, and much more. Through the use of their gifts, these artisans were able to prepare a temporary home for the Ark of the Covenant and bring glory to God's name.
 
What does that mean for you and me? I think it means we, too, can use our skills and talents to bring glory to God. I have a keen eye for catching typos and grammatical errors; it's one of my gifts. As a copy editor, I work with Christian writers to improve work that glorifies God. I'm also a writer, and in my second novel His Last Resort, main character Claire uses makeup artistry as a tool for getting young women to classes where she can talk to them about being who God created them to be. “In real life,” teachers, sanitation workers, secretaries, caregivers, marketing gurus, nail technicians, landscapers... everyone is gifted in some way and can use that gift to go into all the world (Matt. 28:19) and reach people for Christ.
 
We can’t all preach, but with prayer, thought, advice, research, and divine guidance, I believe we can all find a way to use our skills and talents in the furtherance of God's kingdom. What gifts has God placed inside of you?
 
Prayer:
Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus giving You thanks. I thank You for Your mercy and Your grace. I thank You for the fact that because You created me, You know me inside-out. You know my faults and my flaws, but You also know my inborn skills, talents, and gifts, because You gave them to me. I pray that You will help me to identify them, and that You will help me to find avenues to use them to bring glory to Your name.  Help me not to belittle my gifts or the gifts of others, but to be constantly aware of the bigger, eternal picture and the need to find creative, divinely-inspired ways to usher souls into Your kingdom. Amen.
 
M. A. Malcolm