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As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:10-11 ESV
One year at Christmas, my loved one got me a special gift. I was filled with excitement, wondering what it could be. It was a good-sized box and I had all these thoughts about the gift that was inside. As I anxiously unwrapped it, I was quickly disappointed. Clearly, the gift giver was thinking about themselves. The gift was given to me, but really for them. (insert side eye here). But seriously, have you ever received a “gift” but it was for other people? This is what Peter is describing in 1 Peter 4.
Peter teaches us an important principle about kingdom gift-giving. Each believer has God given gifts. The thing is that those gifts were given for the glory of God. They’re supposed to be for the encouragement of believers, serving one another, and displaying God’s power through our earthly bodies.
Yet so often, spiritual gifts are utilized for personal benefit. We fail to display the grace that God has placed on our lives. We refuse to be used as vessels to pour God’s spiritual gifts out into the world. The Bible is clear, we’re called to be good stewards of our gifts. We’re charged to serve for the glory of our Heavenly Father.
So my question for you is which type of gift giving will you be participating in this holiday season? Can I challenge you to be a kingdom giver? If you are blessed to serve, then serve well. If you are gifted to teach, then teach well. If you’re called to be a mother or father, then parent well. Whatever you do, do it with excellence and do it for the glory of God.
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The passage illustrates the importance of being a beacon of light in dim, dark places, as guided by Luke 11:33-36. One must not let comfort lead to dulled awareness, but instead consciously illuminate one’s environment. It urges self-reflection on how one’s personal light can lead others towards embracing Jesus.
The Lord’s Prayer 11 Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread, 4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone
The Beatitudes 20 And He raised His eyes toward His disciples and began saying, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 22 Blessed are you when the people hate you, and when they exclude you, and insult you, and scorn your
I have been lost a time or two. Usually, because I got distracted and wandered off the intended path. Whatever sparked my interest was enough to cause me to lose sight of my intended destination. In this passage, we find Jesus as a child, so focused on His Father’s business that he wanders off from his parents. In my own life, I’ve found that I’m not prone to wander towards my father’s business….but away from it.
If you or someone close to you is in need, we would be honored to lift you up in prayer. We believe in the power of prayer to bring peace, comfort, and reassurance during times of hardship. Our community is ready to join together and pray as we trust in God’s love and unending grace.
