I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be a disciple lately. (Most of the time) I have the Bible reading down, an active prayer life and fellowship with Christ-followers and my neighbors.
But it still feels like there is a gap or hole in my becoming more Christ like. I would equate it to tapping on a watermelon and hearing that dull hollow sound coming from the bowels of the melon. It felt a bit like that.
I think that hollowness comes from not using our gifts and talents for worship.
“I use my gifts and talents all the time!” you might reply. And you are right. You probably do. I believe you.
What I think often happens is that we use our gifts and talents to accomplish a task and not to worship.
The story of the magi, today on Epiphany, their feast day, is the perfect reminder of what our gifts and talents should be used for.
But first, a retelling of the story of the magi in our modern ways.
The magi were men who had the gift of hospitality. Knowing that to be good Christians they were supposed to use their gift of hospitality, the men took off on a journey to be hospitable. What better way to use our gift of hospitality than to give gifts to the King of Kings! they thought. So they journeyed many months until they found the King of Kings as a little baby. The men all descended from their donkeys and camels to make their way into the Christ child’s house, weary from the long journey but excited to finally accomplish their task. The men gave three gifts and celebrated. They had used their gift of hospitality! Hooray!
This retelling is how we often think about our gifts and talents. We are supposed to use our gifts and talents to accomplish something. And while that is true, and necessary, it misses the larger point of what the true value of our gifts and talents is worship:
When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2)
The whole point of the magi using their astrology talents and traveling all that way was to use their gifts and talents in worship. If it is just to complete a task, it loses its full meaning and its ability to shape us into disciples.
As we begin this season of Epiphany, let the story of the magi remind you that our gifts are talents are supposed to be used in worship, and by using our gifts and talents to worship God we are shaped into the disciples he wants us to be.
What are your gifts and talents?
How do you think you can begin using those gifts and talents in worship?