10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:10-11 (NIV)
Being entrusted with something valuable is an incredible privilege and an awesome responsibility. We feel honored that someone trusts us with something they value, but we also recognize that we need to act in a way that honors, rather than betrays, that trust. Our goal is to please the one who entrusted to us what is valuable to them.
Peter tells us that God has entrusted to us the gifts He has given us, and He expects us to use those gifts for His purposes. That’s what he means when he says we are to be “faithful stewards of God’s grace.”
As we saw a couple of weeks ago, selfishness is not an option. We need to be other-centered as we use our gifts. Similarly, laziness is not an option. God didn’t give us our talents so we could admire them; He expects us to use them. God also expects us to follow His agenda, not our own, when we use our abilities. We need to use them for His purposes.
Last week and earlier this week we considered the fact that both our talents and the ability to develop them are gifts from God. He has given us the raw materials and the energy to refine them. That means that He deserves all the credit, even though it often goes to us.
We are simply stewards who are using the gifts, talents, and abilities God has given us; and we do so in the strength that He provides. With that in mind, He is the One who deserves the credit. He is the One who should be praised. He is the One who should receive the glory.
When we serve, let’s purpose to use God’s gifts for God’s purposes and give God the glory He so rightly deserves.