Gifts, abilities and talents are not something I consider often. When I do, it’s usually in what I am lacking, rather than what I am blessed with. A conversation I had on Friday with my counselor caused me to look deeper on the matter, realizing that I may have been wrong in my attitude.
I was excitedly filling in my counselor on my recent achievements in my algebra class, and he praised God right along with me for my success. I also discussed my disdain for my English class. I went on to explain how I hated nonspecific assignments and the rigidity of having to do it a certain way. “I mean…well…” I thought out loud, “I don’t want to seem like I am bragging or boastful, but I have a gift for writing. And now that I think about it, algebra.” He then promptly asked if it was such a bad thing to have those gifts. Then he brought up false pride, and I wondered what exactly was false pride. I wondered so much I had not caught all he had said. I got the impression that I shouldn’t apologize or try to explain myself when I state I have an ability to do something well.
Too often in Christian circles, we don’t want to look prideful or like a braggart, so we preface each time with things like “I don’t want to sound like I am bragging…” , “I am sorry if this sounds wrong….” etc. After some thought and prayer, I wonder if I should be more confident in my gifts. God created me this way! The Creator of the universe blessed me with these things to use for His glory and for the benefit of others! I could be doing something that may be considered worse than bragging or boasting, I could be rejecting His gifts. I am acting as if I am ashamed of what God has done.
I have no real answers, but I hope that this will at least get you to think about it and look at it at a deeper level. Here are some Bible verses and quotes that spoke to me on the subject:
Proverbs 18:16 A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before the great.
Proverbs25:14 Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
1Peter 4:10-11a As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies–in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.
1Timothy 4:4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
Romans 11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
Rom 12:6-8 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
1Corithians 7:7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.
1Co 12:4-11 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
There is a false self-distrust which denies the worth of its own talent. It is not humility – it is petty pride, withholding its simple gifts from the hands of Christ because they are not more pretentious. There are men who would endow colleges, they say, if they were millionaires. They would help in the work of Bible study if they were as gifted as Henry Drummond. They would strive to lead their associates into the Christian life if they had the gifts of Dwight L. Moody. But they are not ready to give what they have and do what they can and be as it has pleased God to make them, in His service – and that is their condemnation.
Charles Reynolds Brown
In the upshot there is only one answer for the preacher who wonders whether he is worthy to preach the sermon he has composed or for the writer who wonders whether he is worthy to write the religious book he is working on. The answer is: Of course not. To ask yourself: Am I worthy to perform this Christian task? is really the peak of pride and presumption. For the very question carries the implication that we spend most of our time doing things we are worthy to do. We simply do not have that kind of worth.
Harry Blamires
Refusing to accept God’s love because we’re unworthy – of course we’re unworthy! – is another golden calf.
Madeleine L’Engle
Finally, there is false humility, thinking of one’s self less than they ought. If Joe were an insecure person, or too proud to endure any mocking from his peers, his pride could actually lead him to assume a position of ‘false humility’. Under this condition Joe would accept and even come to believe he was not a very good mechanic. He may silently consider his talents as being worth more, but in his actions and conversation would insist on taking the position that any of the other mechanics were truly better mechanics than himself. This is not only unhealthy as a self-esteem issue but can lead to inner resentment for accepting a station that is below his true capabilities. from : http://www.singlescafe.net/pride.html
There is a pretended boldness for Christ that arises from no better principle than pride. A man may be forward to expose himself to the dislike of the world, and even to provoke their displeasure, out of pride. For ’tis the nature of spiritual pride to cause men to seek distinction and singularity; and so oftentimes to set themselves at war with those that they call carnal, that they may be more highly exalted among their party. True boldness for Christ is universal and overcomes all, and carries ‘em above the displeasure of friends and foes; so that they will forsake all rather than Christ and will rather offend all parties, and be thought meanly of by all, than offend Christ. And that duty tries whether a man is willing to be despised by them that are of his own party, and thought the least worthy to be regarded by them, is a much more proper trial of his boldness for Christ, than his being forward to expose himself to the reproach of opposers. (Jonathan Edwards, Religious Affections, 352)
35.007752
-97.092877
Read Full Post »
