Choosing to Serve: The Importance of Investing Spiritual Gifts

I remember my father, now 88, sharing a story from his childhood about a time he had a nickel in a store. As he gazed at the candy and other items priced at five cents, he realized that while buying some would bring temporary joy, he would ultimately lose his nickel.

Last night, after returning home from church, I caught the final moments of the Super Bowl. I reflected on the vast amounts of money spent by everyone, from major corporations to fans in the nosebleed seats. Once the event was over, all that money was gone. While some of it was an investment for businesses, much of it was spent on fleeting moments of enjoyment, which is perfectly fine. However, I began to consider this spending from a Christian perspective, thinking not about money but about our spiritual gifts.

As Christians, we have choices regarding how we serve the Lord.

• Do I want to serve Him here or there?

• Should I use my spiritual gifts in this moment or save them for later?

• How can I invest my spiritual gifts?

I believe we are given these gifts to work for our Lord. My father was wise with his nickel, but saving a nickel is vastly different from hoarding our spiritual gifts. We must be mindful of how we spend our nickels and aim to save some for the future, but spiritual gifts are never meant to be saved! They are blessings from God, intended for active investment in His kingdom work.

While saving our nickels may allow us to make purchases later or even retire comfortably, it’s always wise to keep a few saved for emergencies. However, spiritual gifts operate differently; we can never use or invest them too much. God gives us these gifts to use, and we can never run out of them. As 1 Peter 4:10 states, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

So, while you care for your nickels, remember to actively use your spiritual gifts this week for the glory of your gracious God!