Uniquely Gifted

Using your gifts, talents, and skills to build God's kingdom and serve others

Source: Tinika Wyatt - NBC.com

Marriage Counseling

When my wife and I were engaged, we pursued marriage counseling through our church. We arrived at our first scheduled appointment and met Jason and Tinika Wyatt. Jason and Tinika are our church’s marriage and family pastors, and occasional worship leaders. After completing a few months of counseling, Jason would go on to preside over our marriage ceremony.

Jason and Tinika are incredibly service-oriented, involved in many different ministries. They are also extremely talented people. Jason is one of the best shotputters in the world for his age group, and Tinika has recently made it into the top 20 contestants on NBC’s The Voice.

On her website, Tinika’s purpose statement reads:

“I am called by God to sing truth with conviction and fervency and to be used by Him however and wherever He sees fit to build His kingdom. More than singing, I am compelled to demonstrate God’s love and power to this generation, have compassion, and be a light. It’s not just my gifts, but a life submitted to Christ that will be on display for all to see.”

What an inspirational declaration of faith! Tinika is a glowing example of how God can use us and our many talents to further His kingdom.

This reminds me of the recent cultural phenomena we have seen in the sports world. Athletes from a number of sports have started their post-game speeches by glorifying Christ.

On the biggest stages, people are using their gifts, talents, and skills to share Jesus’ name with others and, in some cases, share the gospel message.

Although many of us will never have stadiums full of spectators or adoring fans to hear our testimonies, I think it’s imperative that we use our unique abilities and experiences to steer others toward God and participate in local ministries.

Gifts, Talents, and Skills

The Bible is chock-full of talented, gifted, and skilled individuals who use their abilities to further God’s kingdom. Three of my favorite examples include David, Dorcas (Tabitha), and Barnabas.

David

In 1 Samuel 16, David enters the story when Saul is ‘tormented’ by an evil spirit. Saul’s advisors recommend that he find someone to play the lyre for him, and that it may grant him temporary relief.

1 Samuel 16:18-23 reads:

"One of the servants answered, 'I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave man and a warrior. He speaks well and is a fine-looking man. And the LORD is with him.'

Then Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, 'Send me your son David, who is with the sheep.' So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them with his son David to Saul.

David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul liked him very much, and David became one of his armor-bearers. Then Saul sent word to Jesse, saying, 'Allow David to remain in my service, for I am pleased with him.'

Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him."

As we can see from this passage of scripture, David is a gifted musician, orator, and warrior. Not only are his musical skills showcased in his playing of the lyre, but also in his writing 73 of the 150 Psalms. The word Psalm, “Comes from the Greek, psalmoi, meaning ‘instrumental music’.”

David probably never envisioned how his musical abilities might be used by God, but we are still talking about his talent thousands of years later, (among his other qualities, attributes, and flaws).

Dorcas

In the book of Acts, Peter is traveling from city to city spreading the gospel when he ends up in Joppa. Dorcas is described as, “doing good and helping the poor.” However, after falling ill, Dorcas dies.

As Peter arrives at her bedside, Acts 9:39 describes the scene:

“Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.”

It’s a small detail, but notice that Dorcas had sewn the clothing that the women were wearing. This isn’t an example of songwriting or slinging a stone and killing a Philistine giant. Dorcas doesn’t have a talent that fills stadiums or spurs fortune. Instead, it appears as though she hand-made beautiful robes and clothing for widows in the early church, a beautiful and hospitable act of kindness for the downtrodden.

The point is that you may not be the steward of a world-class voice or a 6’9 body primed for NBA stardom. Yet, you are uniquely designed with a specific set of abilities and experiences that differentiate you from everyone else. This means that everyone has something to offer the world, and everyone is predisposed to be more skillful in some areas than others.

Dorcas provides us with a prime example of how the ability to sew can lead to a fruitful ministry.

Barnabas

In Acts 4, after Peter and John testified before the Sanhedrin and prayed with followers of Christ, people were “Filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” Among the followers described in Acts 4:36-37 was:

“Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.”

Not only is Barnabas a skillful encourager, but he also has the wisdom and good sense to use his resources for the good of God’s kingdom.

We don’t know much about Barnabas, and maybe he had the voice of an angel and the dancing skills of Michael Jackson, but he probably didn’t. You and I likely don’t have those skills either, but we may have the money to help fund church missions, or we may have the temperament and attributes to lead many lost people to God.

What Barnabas embodies well is that when an opportunity comes for him to use his talents and resources, he takes it. We should carry the same mindset with us. We never know when the time may come for us to use our abilities for good.

You and Me

Source: X.com - MargoinWNC

I was struck by stories of Amish builders aiding in hurricane relief in Tennessee and North Carolina after the devastating 2024 hurricane season.

In one story, dozens of Amish traveled from Pennsylvania to Boone County, North Carolina, to build 12 homes for hurricane victims. It was reported that 60 people volunteered to help. Amish men would do the physical labor while the women would cook for the workers and hand out clothing and toys to local children.

Imagine doing this yourself. Imagine what it would be like to drop everything in your life, travel across the country, and work in someone else’s community for days or weeks to help people you’d never met. That’s the kind of generous love we are called to.

If you have gifts, talents, abilities, or skills that are useful in ministry, use them!

Source: Me - in 2011 on Easter Sunday with a friend named Saidu

In 2010 and 2011, I traveled to Sierra Leone in Western Africa with medical teams from Lighthouse church in Santa Monica, California. I was just a teenager at the time, so I was only moderately helpful compared to some of the world-class medical professionals on the trips.

In both instances, about 70 Westerners traveled to Africa and opened pop-up medical clinics in different cities around the country. The broader team would split into 3 teams that would travel separately to best utilize the collective resources.

From a personal perspective, the trips instilled in me the reality that I was living in a fantasy world. Most people are not born and raised in Southern California. We have it so good here compared to other places, we have no reason to complain about anything.

Another striking feature of these trips was the observation of how particular skills have universal utility. I watched as competent doctors and nurses cared for people, using their expertise to heal and mend. This observation inspired me to pursue biology and medicine in my undergraduate studies (which I would later abandon, but I digress…).

The point is that we all have gifts, talents, and skills that set us apart from others. God’s kingdom here on Earth has infinite opportunities for people to act righteously. We should consider how we can help contribute to his mission, whether it’s through a donation, our time, our skills, or our God-given talents.

Practical Application

In your own life, take a moment to think about the ways in which you have furthered God’s kingdom in the past and the present. Imagine how these instances, by love and grace, may earn us a most desirable compliment: “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Here are some ways that gifts, talents, and skills can be used for the good of others and God’s kingdom:

• Ministry - service within your local church and community that meets immediate spiritual and practical needs

  • Music/Worship - if you’re musically inclined

  • Youth Group/Kids - if you enjoy leading young people to Christ

  • Greeting - if you are passionate about encouraging others

  • Elder care - if you enjoy conversing with older people

  • Set up/Tear down - if you want to get some exercise at church

  • Homeless outreach - if you want to have a direct impact on people in need

• Missions - outreach beyond your immediate community, serving in a short-term or long-term capacity

  • Medical - if you have medical skills or experience

  • Construction - if you are handy

  • Evangelism - if you feel called to spread the gospel

  • Education - if you are a skilled teacher or are passionate about teaching

  • Disaster Relief - if you feel called to help people in dire need

• Discipleship/Spiritual Formation - intentional development of deeper relationships with Christ and strengthening a church mission by giving and receiving spiritual guidance

  • Leadership - leading a Bible study or community group

  • Mentorship - serving as a mentor to younger or less spiritually mature people

  • Elder/Deacon - help guide and serve a church community as a spiritually mature leader

There are plenty of other ways that you can serve your church or community with your unique abilities, but hopefully, this list can lead to some inspiration if you’re needing it.

Questions for Reflection

Take a moment to think about yourself. God has crafted you with innate gifts and talents, and His will has led you to develop skills. We are not guaranteed old age and unlimited chances to make the right choices. Instead, we must start living for God’s kingdom and serving His people while we have the chance.

• What are you good at?

• What service opportunities excite you?

• Could you go on a mission trip or help support a close friend interested in going?

• What skills could you realistically develop to help best serve God?