Joyful Work
When I was young, I used to love it when my grandparents came to visit. While it was great to see them, we also knew that they would bring us something special. They always had some small gift for us.
Getting something special from someone you love is special, it is like receiving twice.
We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness. - Romans 12:6-8
In today's letter to the Romans, Paul reminds us that we are loved by God, and God, like my grandparents, comes bearing gifts.
At first, though, it may seem like we are talking about completely different types of gifts, with God bestowing grace in the form of cheerfulness and ministering, while my grandparents brought toys or money.
But the more I think about it, the more they are the same. The true gift was what I could do with what I was given, whether that would be to go out and buy something I really wanted, or to have fun playing with this or that toy or game.
The joy is not in the gift, but in my ability to do something with it.
Why would God give me gifts, if not to find joy in having them and in sharing them with others?
Paul makes it clear there is work we can do with our gifts, but that work doesn't have to be a chore.
Did you ever attempt to do something that you had absolutely no talent for? It is not fun, is it? It's work.
Maybe there is a message there. If what we do for a living isn't bringing us joy, maybe it is not what we were given talents to do. I know that sounds simple and perhaps a bit simplistic, since it leads to the conclusion that we shouldn't be doing it, and who can afford to stop working?
But I believe Paul's message is reminder of our strengths, rather than a call to action in service for God.
We may believe our purpose here is to fulfill God's will, but that doesn't have to be a chore, or to be something akin to work. It can and should be a joy.
It is like completing a crossword puzzle. We know we have the talent and the intelligence to tackle the puzzle, but the answers don't always come quickly. They are challenging, yes, but that is part of the fun, to be challenged. If it is too easy, we are bored with it. If it is too difficult, we feel we lack the ability to accomplish it.
But just like Goldilocks and the three bears, there is a challenge that is just right for us, and that is the one that matches our talents, our gifts. It is joyful work, the perfect balance between difficulty and ability.
The gifts God gives us from birth, and continues to bring us each time we ask him to come and be with us, bring us potential for unlimited joy - Joy in what we do with them, and joy in doing it.
Who can ask for anything more?
More to come...
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