Gifted for a Divine Purpose

It had been a rough morning. My emotions were raging and the kids found many things were not to their liking as we progressed through the day. Tempers flared and words were tight, clipped and harsh.

Something needed to give.

I picked up my two-year-old and sat down on my piano bench, cuddling her on my lap as I played Jesus Loves Me. Her favorite song. Pretty soon she was lisping the words along with piano keys. My oldest came down the steps, singing her heart out. Pretty soon my middle child joined her, their voices blending in beautiful, discordant notes.

"Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so."

And I knew it was true.
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I may not be a concert pianist like I once dreamed I would be, but my audience of three was more precious to me than any grand hall full of people ever could have been.

God gave me a gift when He gave me a heart for music. Every time He beckoned me to praise Him with my piano, He was giving me something precious.

The ability to minister to my own children.

You see, mommy, God has filled our beings with many gifts, to be used for a glorious purpose. Not gifts meant to be displayed to the world or bring us renown. He gave us the gifts we need to calm our children's hearts, the gifts we need to speak life to them, to show them delight, art and beauty in the world.

Think for a moment. What is something that you love to do - something that you feel you're good at?

The world would tell you to take that talent and use it to earn yourself fame and popularity. We buy into that mindset so quickly, and use our gifts and talents to build businesses, social media followings or even simple popularity among our peers.

I know this because I've done it, more times that I care to think of.

I can tell you right now that it leads to competition and discontent.

What if...

What if we used our gifts and talents to minister rather than gain?

To minister first of all to our family, behind closed doors, away from social media and unseen by our peers.

What if we used our creativity to bring delight to the lonely and less-than-popular crowd.

What if we used our gifts and talents like Jesus did?

Unassumingly.

Without personal agenda.

For the good of others.

Particularly for our husbands and children.

I think (know) we would find a rest and a peace in that like we didn't know could be found. When we use our gifts to bless the lowliest around us, we will be using them in the way God intended us to use them.

After all, Jesus tells us that "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me." (Matthew 25:40 NIV) 

We can know that when we use our talents to entertain, delight and minister to our children, Jesus is also in our audience, delighted to see us using the gifts He has given.

Will He lead you to bigger audiences? Possibly. But as we surrender our gifts to His will, we will find that the striving and the hustle cease and we can rest in the simple beauty of creativity. 

A gift from our Creator.

And those closest to us will be pointed to Jesus through that gift.

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