“So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.” – 1 Corinthians 14
Paul was writing to a church that was having a bit of an arms race regarding spiritual gifts. We are told that every Christian receives at least one gift from the Holy Spirit – an ability, skill, or passion that did not previously exist before we believed in Jesus. In Corinth, Christians were using their gifts in a sort of competition to be the best super-Christian. What a bunch of nonsense! These gifts aren’t given for our entertainment or to enhance our status. The Spirit gives gifts so that we can build up the local church.
The wide variety of gifts (knowledge, wisdom, teaching, helping, administering, hospitality, etc.) are distributed to believers as Christ sees fit to strengthen His church. As Christians, we’re responsible for putting our gift(s) to work. The best way to identify our gifts is to try serving in various ministries and see which surprise us with supernatural joy or excellence we didn’t anticipate. Often our gifts are pointed out to us by other faithful Christian who notice them before we do.
The best way to use our gifts is to actually put them to work. Knowing your gift is inadequate. Every Christian of every age has a role to play in building up the church – in reaching those who don’t yet know Christ or in loving and discipling those who do. No Christian should be “sitting on the sidelines” even if there is a pandemic going on. We must each find ways to put our gifts to work to glorify the One who gives us these gifts!