Gifts

Since CJ entered fourth grade, I feel like I’m back in school again. This year has brought a giant leap in the number of tests, as well as in the tests themselves. We spend much of our time studying. I’ve been asking her to review her notes, textbook and study guides and then I call the information out to her. The resulting arguments were terrible. I was expecting her to learn the way I always did, and becoming frustrated when it wasn’t happening.

This past week, I took a different approach to studying with her. Instead of just calling out the information, I read it to her and we discussed each point. I sprinkled some questions throughout, and we talked about all of the information in detail. Afterwards, she told me that even though I think the old method worked well, it didn’t. She prefers this newer technique. After seeing the results, so do I.

When I was pregnant with CJ, I was expecting to have a daughter just like me. However, she is, without a doubt, her father’s child. And even though I know that, I still find myself expecting her to do things the way I would. Which isn’t fair because, although we share DNA, we are entirely different people. God has given us different gifts, talents, strengths and weaknesses in accordance with His plan for each of our lives.

It’s the same among the church.

So Moses took the carts and oxen and gave them to the Levites. He gave two carts and four oxen to the Gershonites, as their work required, and he gave four carts and eight oxen to the Merarites, as their work required. They were all under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest. But Moses did not give any to the Kohathites, because they were to carry on their shoulders the holy things, for which they were responsible.
–Numbers 7:6-9

God instructed Moses to disburse the gifts among the Levites, based upon the specific jobs He’d assigned to each group. He does the same today.

I teach adult Sunday School. He’s equipped me for that with a background in communications and public speaking. However, He’s not given me a mathematically-inclined brain…so He obviously didn’t intend for me to serve on the Finance Committee. I’m technologically challenged, so you won’t find me on the Audio/Visual Committee, either.

I admit, I sometimes catch myself envying another person’s gifts and talents, wishing for the same ministry. I forget that my Father has given me hand-picked gifts for a purpose He’s designed especially for me. But in those times when I listen for His voice and follow His instruction, I realize why He’s bestowed those gifts upon me and I am thankful. So thankful.