God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God’s generosity can flow through you. … Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then God will be given glory. (1 Peter 4:10-11 NLT)

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Generosity flows from the heart of God: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17 NIV)

When God gives, he holds nothing back. He gives every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 1:3 NLT) There’s no obligation for him to give us so much.

He gives because he loves.

He gives not only to bless you, but also so he can bless others through you. God designed you with a unique set of talents, gifts, skills, and abilities.

He gives to you so you can give to others. Receive from God, then give to others. “… Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it.» (1 Peter 4:10 MSG)

What does this mean?

• Be generous with different things – Here’s what I think Peter means: The other day I was at the YMCA, thinking I needed help pushing myself in order to lose more weight. I thought, «Wouldn’t it be great if a Christian brother, committed to physical fitness, would take me on as a ministry? In fact, he could start a ‘small group’ that met at the gym.»

• Talents, skills, abilities – The point is that we all have talents, skills, and abilities given to us by God, and we can give those away. In many congregations, we see this with musicians who give their talents to help us worship God. Some may be professional musicians but others are volunteers freely give away their musical talents to bless others.

• Give creatively – The thing is, think creatively about the talents, skills, and abilities God has given you. If you’re a mechanic, you could help single women in your church keep their cars in good condition. If you’re a handy man (or woman), you can do simple repairs for some of the families in your neighborhood. If you are known for your hospitality, you can teach a younger generation how to open their homes to others. Years ago, a lawyer at my church prepared wills for all the young families, doing it in a group setting so it didn’t overwhelm his practice. Think creatively! A great and true friend of mine once flew halfway across the United States to help me drive a moving truck all the way back.

What can you give? – Ask God what you can do to bless others. Ask him how you can do it. Ask him to show you who to bless with the gifts, skills, talents he has given you. By giving in this way, we imitate our Lord and prove to be his disciples. (Matthew 25:31-40) © 2008 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.