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 If You Don't Use Your Gifts, Who Will? By Garry Genser
I remember once how a speaker, who was making an effective appeal for greater emphasis on soul-winning, reacted when I told him afterwards at lunch how God has blessed me with the opportunity to raise some horses and goats in my spare time. He acted as if I had just told him I had purchased a gambling casino. Had he not immediately turned away, as if from blasphemy, he would have heard how raising these animals has been a valuable source of down-to-earth spiritual object lessons which have blessed my church and rural community. We need to resist the temptation to conform to conventional thinking when it comes to things of the Spirit. These earthy insights from my hobby of raising animals have found expression through my lifelong interest in creative writing and have resulted in the publication of a book, A Down to Earth God: devotionals for the nature lover. People who would not normally take the time to read spiritual material seem to be willing to read a story about an orphaned colt or quirky goats. Each story includes an easy-to-digest scriptural insight, which may wet the reader’s appetite for more. All too often we try to give the special knowledge we cherish to those who are not ready and by doing so we build up resistance to the truth and even become discouraged ourselves. If we love people enough to discern what they're ready for, if we give them truth, measured according to how God has led their interests thus far, we are effectively nurturing them instead of just throwing them whatever doctrine is on our agenda at the moment. You may not be interested in raising horses or goats but is it possible that God has placed you in an environment through which you might bless others in unconventional ways? Might He have given you interests in your every day course of living through which you can connect with people and become a more effective witness for Him? "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." (Romans 12:1) NASB More information about A Down to Earth God. _____________________________ Garry Genser pastors the Fortuna Church. All rights reserved © 2007 Church Support Services. Click here for content usage information. |
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