Tools

"The LORD said to Moses,

'Accept these from them,

that they may be used in the work at the tent of meeting.

Give them to the Levites as each man's work requires.'

So Moses took the carts and 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 7:4-9

My husband and I struggled to remove the spark plug from our large SUV.  It was difficult to access the plugs and we reached the point of frustration where we wanted to give up.  What good is it to do something ourselves if we're going to waste so much time? I thought.  Out of desperation, my husband went to the auto parts store and soon came back with a new tool.  Soon, he had the job done.  A job goes well when one has the proper tools.

When it comes to my faith, God provides the tools necessary for what He has called me to accomplish.  I may not always believe it, but I can step forward in faith with the grace God has given me.  The rub comes when I realize that the gifts I've been given differ from what those believers around me have.  As Paul teaches in Romans 12:6 that, "We have different gifts according the grace given to each of us."

Therefore, it is important that I respond appropriately. 

Avoid Comparison

From a young age, my sister possessed a gift for accompanying choirs and musical groups on the piano.  She used this skill through college, working with various ensembles and forming lasting bonds as she traveled to perform in different locations.  After she married, she was able to use this gift to minister to the congregation in which her husband served as youth pastor and sometimes accompanied him as he used his beautiful voice to sing God's praises.

By comparison, I felt like a useless lump of clay.  I never could play the piano well enough to do what my sister did; what purpose did I serve?  I often felt inadequate when measuring my worth against my sister's purpose.  Falling into the trap of comparing myself to others always leads to despair and a feeling of failure.

The Apostle Paul addressed this problem when he taught, ". . . our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.  How strange a body would be if it had only one part!  Yes, there are many parts, but only one body." (1 Corinthians 12:18-20 NLT)

As absurd as it would be if my own body was only made up of an eye, or a hand, this is a good picture of what I do when I expect to be able to serve the body of Christ in the same way my sister does.  Even though we come from the same family, we have not been given the same talents and gifts.  Therefore, I would be wise to joyfully support her, as well as my other brothers and sisters in Christ in the use of their gifts, and stop comparing my own place to theirs.

When I focus too much on what others are doing, not only does it put me at risk for feeling inadequate but it works to minimize my own ministry, distracting me from the task at hand.  (Galatians 6:4-5)  I must instead keep focused on what I'm called to do.

It reminds me of mezzo-soprano Susan Graham when she was an up and coming opera star.  Writer Jamie Schilling Fields attempted to compare her to a legend in opera circles by asking her if she was the next Cecilia Bartoli.  Graham responded by saying, "I'm not sure I want to be the next anyone.  I'd rather be the first Susan Graham."

I, too, should only attempt to be the best me God intended and stop comparing myself to others.

God has provided me with all the tools necessary to accomplish the mission He has designed for me so I would be wise to avoid comparison to others.

Accept Place

No matter what I planted around the maple tree in our front yard, it would soon die.  I tried cheerful Marigolds, colorful Impatiens and even bright Begonias, but nothing survived.  Finally I planted Liriope, a grass-like evergreen plant that sports purple spikes of flowers in the summertime, and it thrived in the conditions found at the base of our tree.

In the same way that the Liriope flourished in the environment where nothing else survived, so I am called to bloom where God has planted me.  When God saved me by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ from the eternal punishment my sins deserve, He made a new place for me in His kingdom.  Part of the purpose, then, that comes out of God's plan for my life is a path that He has designed for me to walk. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

This path is specially prepared for me.  Many times, however, it may not be the way I dreamed of traveling, or the direction I imagined my life going, or it may seem steeper than what I'd rather climb.  Since God is the one with the blueprint for my life, however, I would be wise to accept the place where God has placed me.

When I accept the difficult ministry to which God has called me, I will find the grace I need to move forward.  If I try to do something else that seems more comfortable, not only will I be butting in on someone else's job, but I'll be neglecting the duty to which I've been assigned.

It reminds me of an embarrassing situation from my youth.  I was a newly minted lifeguard and had been hired on at a local water park.  My job was to stand guard at the activity pool where kids could swing on ropes and play in the water.  I needed to take a bathroom break but couldn't get the attention of any of the other guards so they could cover my area.  Out of desperation, I simply walked away from my post, leaving this part of the pool unguarded.  My actions did not please my supervisor, to say the least.

Just as I jeopardized the lives of the children under my watch when I left my post, so I could cause others to suffer if I don't do my part in the body of Christ.  No one else has been assigned the role I'm expected to play.  Therefore, if I don't do it, no one else will.

There might be an elderly person in the local nursing home who desperately needs the encouragement I'm expected to give, or a hungry child who needs the hug that comes with the food I've been destined to deliver, or a despondent woman who will only be touched by the music that comes from my fingers as I play a favorite hymn.  If I am unwilling to serve as I've been called to serve, who will take my place?

God has provided for me all the tools necessary to accomplish the mission He has designed for me so I would be wise to accept the role He has assigned for me to play.

Embrace Gifts

She did what she was asked to do, but not willingly.  My daughter grumbled the entire time she cleaned the bathroom.  Since she was assigned this least-favorite job, she knew it was up to her to do it, but she wasn't happy about it.  And she let everyone know just how miserable she was in her attitude and demeanor.

While it would be easy for me to chastise my daughter for her poor attitude, I can't be too hard on her since I am often guilty of doing the same thing.  There is a difference between doing just enough to check a task off the list, and completing it to the best of my ability.  One is only concerned with finishing it, while the other desires to do the best job possible.

As a follower of Christ, I am called to do my best, doing even the most menial of tasks as if I were laying it like an offering at His feet.  (Colossians 3:23)  In this way, my willing spirit brings glory to God.

If God has given me the gift of service or helping others, then, I am to throw myself into the task wholeheartedly, doing it as if my life depended upon it.  If He has equipped me to teach, I must prepare fully, making sure I glean every tidbit of wisdom God intended from a passage in order to benefit all who listen.  If He has bestowed upon me the ability to lead, I am to guide with confidence and assurance, thus bringing honor to God's name. (Romans 12:6-8)

God has provided me with all the tools necessary to accomplish the mission He has designed for me so I would be wise to embrace my gifts and use them wholeheartedly.

In the same way that God provided the amount and type of tools necessary for the Levites to carry out their jobs, I have been given the amount of grace needed to use the gifts I've been given.  Therefore, it is important that I avoid comparing myself to others, accept the place where God has placed me, and sincerely embrace the gifts He's given me.  In these ways I'll use my tools wisely for the glory of God.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can accept the calling God has placed on my life.

When do my eyes wander, desiring another gift instead of what I've been given?

How am I rejecting my gifts in my poor attitude?