Bring Your Gifts To The Community

You have been given a voice, a heart, and hands. Gifts that help you make heaven come alive right now.

Over the last couple of weeks, Kathleen and I have been watching UnReal on Netflix. It’s a scripted show about all that goes into making a reality show.

Behind the drama that viewers see, is an intricate, choreographed dance happening.

The producers scripting the action, camera operators scrambling on the fly, sound engineers, set designers, and PA’s all buzzing around making sure everyone is bringing their A-game.

​It’s a team effort, for sure. Just like church. We all got different roles, different talents.

Some are in the spotlight, others work behind the scenes, but everyone’s essential. When we bring it all together, something beautiful happens.

​​In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul, urges the community to work together in the Spirit, with gentleness, patience, and love. And he encourages them live a life that reflects our calling as beloved children of God. Here’s what he has to say:

He himself granted that some are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.   - Ephesians 4:11-16

The toughest part of this job isn’t preparing a sermon or always being on-call. It’s the pedestal. That imaginary platform people put ministers on that make this job challenging.

While it’s wonderful to be in the spotlight, it does expose me as an easy target for people to cast stones at. I have also learned the hard way that pedestals are very wobbly – one wrong move and down you go.

But here’s the thing, ministry is a team effort. We all play a role in its production. Jesus calls us all to share the good news. To speak of God’s redemptive love and saving grace in all that we do.

Paul writes, some of us are called to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Each role is vital for the building up the body of Christ. And nobody's “more than” or “less than” anyone else.

It’s easy to think that some gifts are more valuable than others. You might think because I have a fancy theology degree and got ordained, I'm the only one who can do this stuff.
 
But last summer, Aurora and V totally dispelled that notion when they led worship. It was beautiful to see Paul’s point come alive as they worked together to share the gospel. Each one of us has a gift. And every gift —seen and unseen, big and small—is a vital block in this community of love that we are building.
 
Jesus has entrusted us to make heaven come to life in the ways we proclaim and teach God’s love – with our words and deeds.

​Paul reminds us that the church is one body, made up of different parts. A foot has a job but is useless without the leg. And the hand is limited without the arm. In the same way, what good is our church vision if no one is living it?
 
So what’s your gift that you can bring? Perhaps you’re an amazing listener, creating space for others to feel heard. Maybe you’re an organizational ninja keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes. Maybe your gift is making others feel welcome. Or bringing the gospel to life through poetry, art, or music.
 
Now, it’s easy to fall into the trap believing you have nothing to give. Or to hold back sharing your gift believing someone else will do it better. But let me throw this out to you. What if what you're holding back is exactly what someone else needs? When our kids were little one of them asked me, “Why do you smile and say hi to everyone?”
 
My answer seemed too simple. Because that might be the only taste of kindness that person receives that day. It could be the one compassionate thing they need to not do something harmful to themselves or others.
 
Robin Williams said, “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.” A smile, a kind word, a gentle glance offered without demand or measure can be the hinge on which a weary soul swings back toward the light.
 
To love in small ways is no small thing. Kindness given without knowing its reach may be the very thread that keeps someone from unraveling. This is the work of grace. The way each one of us makes God’s love visible. Why would you want to hold that back?

You are part of a great symphony, where the deep resonance of a cello is different from the bright clarity of a trumpet.
 
As the percussions keep time, the violins soar with melody. Each instrument has its own unique part in the orchestration. When they come together something amazing happens. If everyone played the same note, the song would sound flat and lifeless. The church is no different. When individual parts come together, following the same conductor, the kingdom of heaven comes alive.
 
Jesus says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit" (John 15:5). Like tendrils on a grape vine, we each extend outward in our own unique ways, but we are all nourished by the same source—Christ, the Divine maestro of God’s love.
 
In her poem The Summer’s Day Mary Oliver asks, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
 
Jesus calls us to bear the fruits of God’s kingdom.
 
This will take someone being an Apostle, one who is sent to plant churches and guide their mission.

Someone will have to be a prophet, and speak for God before the kings and rulers, calling for repentance and justice.

Although the fruit of evangelism has been soured lately, maybe you’re being called to reclaim its power - bringing others to Christ.

​There is always a need for a pastor, who will care for those hurting and suffering. Or a teacher who nurtures the spiritual growth of one’s faith.
 
Jesus calls us all to the table of fellowship - he turns no one away. Each person is just as important as the other. Every gift is needed in this community of love. What is a house if it has no roof to shade you from the sun? Or walls to keep the cold wind at bay?
 
In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus tells a parable about four men who were trusted with their master’s money. Three invests what is given to them, and make more money for their boss. But one buries his to keep it safe, afraid of what might happen if he loses the money (Matthew 21:33-46)

In the same way, God has given us all gifts that are meant to be used, not hidden because we're too scared or insecure to let them be seen.
 
This aligns with what Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, “Let your light shine. For No one lights a candle then puts it under a bushel. Put your light where it can be seen…where it can illuminate the entire room.” Jesus is inviting us to participate in God’s redeeming work. (Matthew 5:14-16)
 
By lifting our baskets, we realize the power of this divine light within us, and begin to see that we are a part of God’s heaven here on earth. You have been given a voice, a heart, and hands. Gifts that help you make heaven come alive right now.

You might not think your light is bright enough, but when we combined our small flickering flames  with each other’s we can shine so powerful that not even darkness could defeat it.
 
Jesus and Paul both encourage us to embrace and celebrate what others bring to the table, because goal isn’t for any one person to shine alone, but for the whole body to shine in harmony, growing together in love.

​Love is the glue that bonds our gifts together into a community who can fulfill the mission Jesus has called us to: to love God, love others, and serve both.
 
Jesus surrounded himself with all sorts of people - fishermen, tax collectors, street workers, rebels, and skeptics. He still calls people from all walks of life to bring their gifts because we all have a place in the redemption and restoration of the world.
 
You might believe you’re not enough to make a difference but God says you are more than enough. You are God’s beloved child, formed and fashioned by love, for love since the beginning of time.
 
God doesn’t focus on our flaws but calls out our gifts – gifts born out of unmerited grace and unconditional love, for the building up of one another, until our faith and knowledge matures to the full stature of Christ – the very incarnation of God’s love made manifest for us.


SIDE NOTE: Wendell Berry, the poet, farmer, and environmentalist, often writes about living intentionally, honoring one’s place in the world, and using one’s gifts in service of community and creation. Here’s an excerpt from

 "Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front" 
So, friends, every day do something
that won’t compute. Love the Lord.
Love the world. Work for nothing.
Take all that you have and be poor.
Love someone who does not deserve it.