“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).
While some portions of 1 Peter have been challenging to interpret and apply, our text from 1 Peter 4:10 is significantly easier. We can begin our look at this portion of Scripture with a definition of the word “gift” as offered by the following commentator…
“The term gift (charisma) is from the root for ‘grace’ (charis). These gifts are undeserved, unmerited love gifts for ministry. Every believer has a spiritual gift, given by God at salvation, for the purpose of ministry to and for the Church (cf. Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:7,11,18; Eph. 4:7). These gifts may be natural talents, but if so, they are supernaturally energized for the glory of Christ! The practical aspect of this NT truth is that every believer is a full-time, called, gifted minister of Christ (cf. Eph. 4:12).” (1)
Thus, the talents, skills, opportunities, assets, and resources we possess are not meant solely for our benefit. Instead, 1 Peter 4:10 tells us that such gifts are to be used for the purpose of ministering to one another. The essence of that ministry involves sharing with others by serving them according to God’s provision. In other words, we can view these gifts as resources that God has given us to invest.
Our passage from 1 Peter uses the image of a steward to convey this idea. A modern-day equivalent of a steward might include someone who serves as a manager, supervisor, administrator, or director. As another source explains, “A steward… was a servant whom his master entrusted with the administration of his business or property. His job was to devote his time, talents, and energy to executing his master’s interests, not his own.” (2)
This brings to mind the example set by the servants who appear in Jesus’ parable of the talents. That parable relates the account of a person who was entrusted with a valuable possession but neglected to invest it properly. That possession was later taken from him and given to another servant who demonstrated better resource management.
Much like those servants, we have a similar duty to invest our God-given gifts in a manner that honors Him. Jesus’ sobering conclusion to that parable identifies the loss we may suffer if we neglect to fulfill our responsibility to use the gifts He has given us: “…to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away” (Matthew 25:29).
(1) Dr. Bob Utley. Free Bible Commentary – 1 Peter 4, [4:10] Copyright © 2014 Bible Lessons International http://www.freebiblecommentary.org/new_testament_studies/VOL02/VOL02B_04.html
(2) J. B. Lightfoot, Notes on the Epistles of St Paul, p. 197. Quoted in Notes on 1 Corinthians 2023 Edition Dr. Thomas L. Constable [4:21] https://www.planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/html/nt/1corinthians/1corinthians.htm