“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10 ESV).
At the risk of over-dramatizing this passage, this portion of Scripture conveys two ideas that could have a transformative effect upon our lives if we were to act upon them. The first is that God has endowed every Christian with a gift in the form of a talent, skill, ability, or enablement. The second is that these gifts are designed to fulfill a specific objective: to serve and benefit others.
Another translation of this passage renders 1 Peter 4:10 in the following manner: “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms” (NIV). This “gift allowance” applies to every member of God’s family without exception, for we are told, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received…” This means that God has blessed His people with one or more gifts that are exclusive to each person.
The New Testament book of Romans offers some valuable guidance on this subject along with several examples…
“So we are to use our different gifts in accordance with the grace that God has given us. If our gift is to speak God’s message, we should do it according to the faith that we have; if it is to serve, we should serve; if it is to teach, we should teach; if it is to encourage others, we should do so. Whoever shares with others should do it generously; whoever has authority should work hard; whoever shows kindness to others should do it cheerfully” (Romans 12:6-8 GNT).
The Biblical book of Ephesians adds…
“Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT, see also 1 Corinthians 12:8-11).
Therefore, it is crucial to identify our individual gifts and use them in service to others within the Body of Christ. Each new day brings a fresh opportunity to do something good and productive for God; and a person who uses a gift of God in His service will undoubtedly enjoy a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction in ministering to others. Those who recognize and utilize the spiritual gifts that God has bestowed upon them are the ones who will be best equipped to make the most of their opportunities.