How to Invest Our Time and Talent

People ask my husband, “When were you called to be a pastor?” I’ve been asked, “How were you called to be a writer?” We don’t really have the kind of answer they are looking for. But we do have a good answer, I think. We would both say, We believe that our gifting is our calling.

People ask my husband, “When were you called to be a pastor?” I’ve been asked, “How were you called to be a writer?” We don’t really have the kind of answer they are looking for. But we do have a good answer, I think. We would both say, We believe that our gifting is our calling.

God has wired each of us from the factory with certain natural gifts and talents. The Spirit has given us spiritual gifts for the building up of the body of Christ (1 Pet 4:10). Our unique gifting is our calling. Why else would God have wired us that way? Or the Spirit have given us the gift or gifts he has given us? After college I found my niche as a teacher. So I thought I must have the spiritual gift of teaching. But after I married Jack I wasn’t so sure.

Jack and other friends are those whom I like to call the guy or girl with the “golden shovel.” They love to dig. Research. Turn up reams of data and sift and process it. Me…not so much. I’m more of a creative soul. An entrepreneurial starter upper. I love to read and study, but not to the deep extent that I saw in others.

There are four lists of spiritual gifts in the New Testament: Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4 and 1 Peter 4. (easy to remember as 12,12,4,4) None of the lists are the same. Some overlap. Some mention a gift that is not mentioned in the other lists. That leads many to think that these lists are not at all exhaustive. I wondered if “creativity” might be a gift. My gift. Then in an Arts conference one time a leader said quite confidently, “I have the gift of creative communication.”

A light went off! That me, I thought. That’s my gift. That’s what I do well. I have a passion for worldview/faith and culture. I am creative. I can creatively communicate worldview/faith and culture.

If there is one comment repeated over and over in response to my speaking and writing it is, “That was so inspiring.” If our spiritual gift is how we build up the body of Christ then maybe there is also a gift of inspiration that is mine as well. A guy in my Young Life group in high school thought he had the spiritual gift of football. Hmmm…I don’t know…

Still trying to identify your gifts? Be honest: What can you do well? How has God wired you? What do people tell you that you do that really builds others up? Go there. Volunteer there. Seek feedback.

Peter encourages us to be good stewards of these “varied graces.” Understanding our gifting enables us to specialize in our area of interest/passion/skill/experience. It gives us permission, even a responsibility, to devote time and money to develop our gifts.

It also gives us a grid through which to process requests and demands on our time and talents.

When I was asked to do a radio show to talk to people about what we believe and why we believe it I thought about the demands on my time. I also thought about my gifts as my calling. The show was right in the sweet spot of my passion and gifting. I loved every minute of the five years I spent on it.

Not only am I passionate about Faith and Culture, I also care deeply about spiritual transformation. Especially how God opens our eyes to see the true value and beauty of Jesus and his Kingdom So when I came up with the idea for a Faith and Culture Devotional it proved to be an even sweeter spot, combining faith and culture with reflection and asking, what do these insights into history, art, science etc have to do with the life of our hearts? Writing that book, working with 70-plus contributors took many more hours and late nights than I anticipated. But because it was so in the center of my gifting and my passion I felt confirmed and empowered to do the work. It was work that felt like worship.

Psalm 138:8 says, “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.” If we understand our gifting as our calling and use our gifting as a grid through which to evaluate request and opportunities, we will live our lives more tightly focused on God’s purposes for our lives and know more of his love and joy in the process.