1 Peter 4:10 KJV
[10] “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
Peter talks about stewardship in this verse, not emphasizing it in the financial realm, but spiritually. We all believe that we should not waste the money we have received from the Lord, but what about the spiritual gifts He has given us? God has uniquely equipped His children and given us different spiritual gifts. He wants us to grow in His grace, mature in His Word, and use our spiritual gifts for His honor and glory. Believers possessing different spiritual gifts reveal the manifold grace of God.
Spiritual gifts serve a great purpose in the local church today. They allow us to be unified and function to our full potential. As believers, we must mature in the faith and allow our gifts to work through us by the power of the Holy Spirit and not through the energy of the flesh.
Please note that a spiritual gift is not a natural talent. Some people are born with a natural talent. For example, some have an ear for music and have been born with the talent to play an instrument. They had no proper training but could hear the sound and play by ear.
A spiritual gift is not a learned skill. Let’s use the same example as before. Some were not born with the talent to be musicians, but they practiced and learned to play an instrument. They may play as well as those born with an ear for music, but it came through them learning how to play. While both are tremendous abilities, they are not spiritual gifts.
Spiritual gifts are given by the Spirit of God whenever a sinner is born again. As believers mature spiritually, they will learn what spiritual gifts they have received. Above all, we must remember that our gifts are not to be wasted. Use the gifts that God has given you to be a blessing to your local church. Be a good steward of the manifold grace of God in your life and serve in the area in which the Lord has gifted you. Do not allow sin to hinder you from being spiritually productive in your church. Strive to be a blessing to others as they have been to you. Think about where you would be today if it weren’t for others who have invested in your life. Return the blessing by investing in their lives as well. We must be a good steward of our time, money, and our gifts.