After spending way too many hours late into last night tiling our small laundry room, I have a greater appreciation for large, tiled surfaces. I look at the cuts, I notice how the tile butts against the baseboard, I inspect the grout. But I also breath a sigh of relief that I don't have to do that every day. Wow, is that hard work (and messy!)
I marvel at how an expert tiler could whip out a small room like mine in half the time without plaster globbed on the carpet and on the walls. I can do it, but it doesn't come easily or quickly. I suppose that's all on where our gifts lie.
I remember a while ago when I had to use a lawyer for something and after I read his document I said, "I am so glad that I don't have to do your job!" At which he promptly replied, "Funny, I was just about to say the same thing about your job. I couldn't imagine doing what you do."
God has gifted us all differently from the tiler to the lawyer to the pastor. We can probably do the other person's job (to some extent. . .you haven't seen my laundry room!) but it either takes longer, done not as well or we make a whole lot of mistakes.
But when you find out how God is gifted you, the stars all line up and life is as it is suppose to be. Have you found those gifts, yet? Maybe your first step should be to your laundry room floor and see if tiling is it. Or, you may find out as I did, that you can cross one more thing off your gifts list.
Happy searching!
Scott
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-Many gifts but one body, how appropriate of a term. We all have them, but as they should be are different. God wants a garden of gifts that can be shared by "ALL".
ReplyDeleteFor who is happy with just a garden of one fruit or vegetable. The Christian life and mission is a constant search for these things and more. For another can have the answer the you need and vice-versa!
It is truly univeral...
You keep hitting my "hot" buttons. I realize at least some gifts that I have ... now how do I determine how to best use them? I can manage, organize, implement, document and effect change .... I'd dream of someday finding my purpose and passion. Any suggestions on where to start? I know that it's not tile work. Do we just keep trying things until we find the right thing?
ReplyDeleteTo some degree, yes.....you just have to keep trying different things until you find something that fits. It can be very frustrating to figure out your gifts in the first place, much less how and where to use them. It takes an open mind and heart...you may try something that doesn't fit you at all, but it may lead you to something else that is truly fulfilling.
ReplyDeleteIf I might interject...Pastor Scott referenced the Strengths training the staff participated in last week. There is a book called the Clifton Strength's Finder that you can purchase in the Beacon Bookstore or other local bookstore. In the back of the book, there is a code and website that you log onto, take a test and it identifies your top 5 strengths. It's quite fascinating and affirming and the staff has found it very useful. Check it out and see if it helps!
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