As we got talking about my recent birthday celebration, we reminisced about the occasion and the outpour of love I received. Then we got talking about gifts. I made this remark as we spoke; “When people give me stuff, I love to use it. That way, I appreciate, honour, and encourage the giver.” Of course, there are times I’m led or I decide to give out the gifts to other people. But I learnt a major lesson from that simple conversation; use what God has given you.
Friend, you need to use what God has given you. Nothing honours God than using what He has given you for His purpose and His glory (1 Peter 4:10-11). The truth is, gifts are blessings, but they also come with a burden. It is the burden of stewardship. I don’t know about you, but I’m more careful about what people give me than what I acquire on my own.
Although the gifts of God are without repentance, they are not without responsibility (Romans 11:29). When God gives you stuff, He expects you to take responsibility for it. He wants you to return the gift to Him better than He gave you (Matthew 25:24-27). This is what we saw in the parable of the talents. We learnt that not maximising divine gifts is tantamount to wickedness (Matthew 25:26).
What has God given you? How are you using it? At the basics, God has given you the life you live. Especially if you are born again, the life you live is not your own, Christ gave it to you (2 Corinthians 5:15, Galatians 2:20). This is why it is wrong to utter statements like; “It’s my life. I’m not answerable to anyone.” The truth is, you are answering to someone. You are answerable to God; the owner and giver of the life you live (Luke 12:16-21).
Life is a trust. You are a trustee of the life and blessings that God has given you. You are going to give an account of how you live. (Romans 14:12). Every second of your existence would be accounted for one day. What do you want the account to be like? Do you want to be a wasteful servant or a profitable one (Matthew 25:30)? Do you want God to look at you and be happy with what you have done with the life He gave you?
God has given you spiritual gifts, abilities, talents, opportunities, relationships, platforms, resources, etc. Don’t think it’s for your personal agrandizement (1 Corinthians 4:1-2). Don’t think it’s for you to oppress people like a lot of people do today. It is to build lives. It is to build God’s kingdom. It is to make profits to the glory of God’s name (Esther 10:3). Always remember this; what you don’t use, you would soon lose. What you use gets better with time. What has God given you?
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria