Giftedness

 

Yesterday in worship, we listened to Paul tell the Corinthians that there are a vast variety of gifts.  There are gifts of wisdom and knowledge; faith and healing; powerful deeds and prophecies; discernment, tongues, and interpretation.

 

Did any of those nine cause your shy soul to say, “Tell me more!”?  If you had to write a definition of each of the above nine gifts, what might you say to describe each?  Can you give an example of a time when you witnessed or embodied that gift?  Where and when did you interact with wisdom, and where are you discovering knowledge in these days?  What does faith sound like, smell like, and feel like?  When have you witnessed a powerful deed or heard a prophetic word?  Do you feel a bit confused by discernment?  You might be suspicious of speaking in tongues, or tired of everyone giving you their opinion?  Review the list. Do you see some gifts as more admirable than others?  Do you find yourself rating and ranking?  Of course not, you say, I listened to the sermon yesterday and heard that was what the Corinthians were doing!!  Surely, we don’t prop up some people’s jobs as being more valuable than others.  Clearly, we have evolved beyond calling someone an “essential worker” and then treating and paying that beloved as anything but important.”  Some of you are catching the sarcasm in my writing.

 

I love how wisdom and knowledge are two separate gifts.  We often conflate and confuse these two as the same.  Not all knowledge is wisdom.  Sometimes people like to show off and pontificate.  They like to point out that a bottle of wine was made with the harvest of ‘08, which everyone knows was the best grapes of the last century.  By the way, I know nothing about wine, as if the previous sentence didn’t show that clearly enough.  Where do you notice a distinction and overlap between faith and healing? What does this dynamic duo suggest?  While each gift is distinctive, sometimes we can blend and bring together two or three of the nine gifts in unique ways.  For example, discernment and interpretation can dance together in helpful ways.

 

Today, look over the list and see which one sings to your soul.  Also, pay attention to where you resist seeing one of these as a gift.  Ponder which gifts you’d like the Spirit to cultivate and curate in you.  Today, think about how each gift can support the other gifts, shining God’s light these days.  Finally, I invite you to add to Paul’s list.  What gifts do you think are important for our common life together?  What unique way can you share and shine your light with family, friends, in our community, church, and country for the sake of our shared life?  May this question continue to stir and sing to your heart in this season of Easter.