Talents and Skills
I Corinthians 12:4–11
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same LORD. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as He determines.”
It us from the same Holy Spirit that we are given talents and skills to glorify God and to serve in His Kingdom. We all have different capabilities and callings, but it is all from the same generous God that we worship. God bestows these blessings upon each of us uniquely, such as Bezalel and Oholiab, "I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship (Exod 31:3)”, for God’s purposes, “…to make everything I have commanded you (Exod 31:6b).” St. Paul tells us elsewhere that we are unique and special in these gifts and we use them accordingly, “different gifts according to the grace given us. If someone's gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith (Rom 12:6), and we are to live interdependently within the community of Christ-followers, and this is no different from God telling Moses of his brother Aaron, when Moses did not feel confident about his own skills (the LORD was angered that Moses didn’t trust God enough to provide the skills unto himself), “Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it." Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses and he said, "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him (Exod 4:10–16). Indeed all we have is from God, that we may not boast, but from these we get to serve and glorify Him for the Gospel, which was “affirmed by God through signs, wonders, various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will (Heb 2:4).”
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same LORD. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as He determines.”
It us from the same Holy Spirit that we are given talents and skills to glorify God and to serve in His Kingdom. We all have different capabilities and callings, but it is all from the same generous God that we worship. God bestows these blessings upon each of us uniquely, such as Bezalel and Oholiab, "I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship (Exod 31:3)”, for God’s purposes, “…to make everything I have commanded you (Exod 31:6b).” St. Paul tells us elsewhere that we are unique and special in these gifts and we use them accordingly, “different gifts according to the grace given us. If someone's gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith (Rom 12:6), and we are to live interdependently within the community of Christ-followers, and this is no different from God telling Moses of his brother Aaron, when Moses did not feel confident about his own skills (the LORD was angered that Moses didn’t trust God enough to provide the skills unto himself), “Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it." Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses and he said, "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him (Exod 4:10–16). Indeed all we have is from God, that we may not boast, but from these we get to serve and glorify Him for the Gospel, which was “affirmed by God through signs, wonders, various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will (Heb 2:4).”
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