I once read an excellent article by the late pastor and teacher Tim Keller entitled, “Vocation: Discerning Your Calling.” It wasn’t a spiritual gift inventory but it gave helpful insights into evaluating gifts and vocations. One of the ideas that interested me was that we shouldn’t start by filling out an inventory. Instead, Keller suggests that you look to the community around you to see what needs resonate with you. Remember, the gifts God gives us are not for ourselves; they are for service to others. Today, let’s consider spiritual gifts from a slightly different perspective and see what we might learn from an Old Testament passage:

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Look, I have specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze. He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft! (Exodus 31:1-5)

In this passage we learned about a man named Bezalel. He was filled with the Spirit of God and given “great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts.” Was this what you would call a “spiritual gift?” The Bible is clear that God filled Bezalel with the Holy Spirit and gave him these abilities. Keller writes, “It is not always easy or necessary to make distinctions between natural talents and spiritual gifts, since ultimately they are all from God… Bezalel was filled with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts to make artistic designs. There is nothing in the spiritual gifts lists of the New Testament about artistic gifts but here we see that all artistic skill comes from God.” What a great quote! I like it! When considering what might be our gifts, one reason not to start with ourselves is that we don’t know ourselves as well as we think we do. If we apply ourselves to the services and needs in our communities, we can discover gifts we didn’t know we had.

Today, take a few moments to consider the needs in your community or in your church. Look for opportunities that resonate with you and then get started. Try different things. In the process you may be surprised to discover a gift from God that you never even knew you had...and that is very Good News!