Many of us have heard of the phrase, "spiritual gifts". These are gifts that are given to us by the Holy Spirit when we become adopted into the Heavenly Kingdom, and different people have different gifts in different ways. Some may find themselves with the gift of evangelism, while others may have the gift of wisdom, and many may have several gifts. These gifts are ways that we as believers are uniquely designed to make an impact in the world for the Kingdom.
God gives us plenty of other gifts, though. Our talents are a great example of some other gifts He gives, and similar to spiritual gifts, they can be used to make a significant impact for the Kingdom of Heaven.
In fact, Paul said in Ephesians 2:10, "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
God has good works prepared for YOU!
But, how do I do that? How do I live out those good works?
Well, the simple answer is you use your talents, or the things you excel at, with the intention of pointing others towards the truth and love of God. This can be done in an endless amount of ways, and as believers, this is part of what we are called to do in the Great Commission.
Want an example? Great! I've got one for you!
When I'm not writing blogs (which is most of the time), I am usually thinking up a new idea to turn into a movie. I have been passionate about filmmaking for well over a decade and have been involved with telling several dozens of stories through videos and short films; I just love it. I don't only just love it: I have learned a lot about it, and I have developed my skills over that decade. What started as a passion turned into a talent, and that talent can be used for lots of things.
I could just use that talent to make things I want to make. After all, if I'm passionate about it, then, it will likely bring me a lot of joy to get to do it. But, ultimately, if I'm only using my talents for my own good, then it really is a waste. I could instead use them to point people towards truth, love, the Bible, and ultimately, Jesus.
You may or may not have heard of Leslie and I's Biblical short film, "Many Are Called" (if you haven't, you should follow us on Instagram. And if you already do, you should follow us more closely).
This film came from the passion in both mine and Leslie's hearts to create something and tell a story that is life-giving and truthful. We both used our talents and our skills to write, edit, plan, and now try to raise funds for something that has a much larger impact then just bringing us joy.
"Many Are Called" is a short film centered around an incredibly well-known story from the Bible but with one catch: we won't tell you what that story is until the VERY END of the film.
You will find nothing ahead of time spoiling the surprise, and you will have to watch until the end to try to figure it out. Doing it this way will allow our viewers to engage with the characters and to experience the story as it plays out rather than having the hindsight we have today.
We want this piece to be a reflective piece, and we want our viewers to relate to a character they may otherwise ignore or disassociate with.
Our Kickstarter campaign will be going live on July 1st, so if you have not pre-saved the campaign, make sure you do so HERE!
Anyone who backs within the first 24 hours will get exclusive early access to the film, which is an 80 dollar value, for whatever amount they donate. If it is 1 dollar, they will still get early access. So, make sure you pre-save the campaign to be notified when we launch. You do not want to miss out!
And yes, "Many Are Called" may seem like a big scale example of how to use your talents to make an impact for the Kingdom. But, it does not have to be something where you need to raise funds to pay for expenses just to make an impact. It can be something as simple as using your artistic talents to share the love of Jesus in a visual way or writing poetry that shares the truth of the Gospel.
And it does not just have to be artistic examples either. Even athletic talent can be used to share your faith with others. The real key is living every aspect of your life in a way that shows the world the love and truth of God.
Whatever gifts and talents you have, God has given you those gifts and talents for a reason. I encourage you to spend some time in prayer and ask the Lord how and where you can use those gifts and talents for His Kingdom and His glory.
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