Gifts from God
I spent the morning yesterday at our annual craft fair at the church. I am always amazed at the incredible creative gifts God has bestowed on people. Whether it’s building Christmas decorations out of wood, making jewelry or sewing beautiful pillows and throws, there was an incredible amount of talent showcased in one building. I did not receive the gift of artistic talent in this way. I can only admire and support those who have these abilities.
Throughout the ages, God has used artistic people for his glory. In 1 Kings 6.7, King Solomon summoned Huram to do all the bronze work in the temple he was building for the Lord. Huram was “highly skilled and experienced in all kinds of bronze work.” Among the items Huram was responsible for were two pillars, four hundred pomegranates, ten stands with ten basins, and the Sea and twelve bulls under it, the pots shovels and sprinkling bowls. My guess is this was a long term project for Huram!
In the New Testament, Lydia, one of the new believers was a seller of fine purple cloth, most likely woven with her own hands. Paul and fellow believers Aquilla and Priscilla, were tentmakers.
As I look at several of the artisans in the Bible, I realize that their artistry was either done to glorify the Lord or to support their ministry in the Lord. It reminded me of the verse in Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.”
I thought of some of the other items for sale at the craft fair yesterday: soup to raise money for the church’s special needs ministry, homemade cards to send to someone in need and handcrafted quilts to be used at infant baptisms. These were all the result of many hours of hard work but they were acts of work for the Lord and for his glory.
Maybe you’re like me and you don’t have an ounce of artistic talent in your hands. When your child comes home with a school project, does it make you perspire like it does me? If so, I am sure you have other gifts and talents. Do you work at them with all your heart, as if working for the Lord? In your secular job, do you give each day to the Lord and ask how He can use you in the workplace for His glory? When we identify our talents, it is important to inquire of God, “How do you want to work through me?” Then we must listen and be open to the answer he provides.