Running to serve

1 Peter 4:10a
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others…

I was gone over the week-end ministering at our state’s Youth Convention and, as a result, heard about this encounter second-hand. Too bad, too, because I would have laughed out loud if I’d have been there. Wendy had the children down at the Albemarle Christian Bookstore (a great place to shop, by the way) and Sydney was running up and down the aisle. Of course Wendy told her that she couldn’t run in the store and it caught Sydney by surprise. She looked up at Wendy and said, "But Mommy. Running is my gift." It took some explaining by Wendy and Sydney’s Aunt Laura to help her understand that some of the customers might not see her or might get knocked down if she kept running. I’m not sure if Sydney completely understood, but she’s five. We, on the other hand, aren’t, so we need to understand the principle she learned that day.

All of us are gifted and we all want to use our gifts – just like Sydney. Hopefully, though, we understand that our gifts are not about us. They are given to us so that we can serve those around us. God wouldn’t want you or me to use our gifts for our benefit anymore than I’d want Sydney to run around in the store and knock stuff off the shelves (because, of course, if you break it, you buy it!). Sometimes we can do a lot of harm when we use our gifts for our own pleasure. But if a ball was rolling across the floor and Sydney ran to pick it up before a customer stepped on it, she and that customer would be so glad she had the gift of running!

What’s your gift? How can you use it to serve? And when you do, how might Jesus be lifted up when you’re done? What are you waiting for? Get like Sydney and run to it!

You, and those you serve, will be glad you did.

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