Nougat 28

How are we utilizing our gifts? Our consideration for today’s Holy Nougat.

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your strength, for there is no work or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, where you are going.” ‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭9‬:‭10‬ ‭TLV‬‬

We can easily extend the advice to our minds, the incubator of creativity and another source of gainful work. I suspect that this is the premise developed in the Pauline letter to the Colossians which argues whatever is done by us ought to be to God’s glory. Given the trend towards valorizing individualism and personal success, this is not always encouraged as a priority.

What would it mean to do what our hands find to do in our lives? How do we ensure that we are maximizing our potential and positively contribute to our society and the wider world? Perhaps we begin with a prayerful personal inventory of our gifts and skills. Not only for trade or service, but also for our spiritual lives. Having identified this, we can examine ourselves to discern whether we are maximizing our personal and spiritual potential.

Additionally we know that we can invite God’s Spirit to direct our work that it is not only profitable but also benefits others. For we know, the bottom line is not all there is to life. A daily challenge we face therefore is to identify moments where our gifts may be life enhancing for the community.

By taking a leaf out of Jesus’ ministry playbook, we note that Jesus gift of healing was not hidden. And it was readily shared with Jew and Gentiles alike: no discrimination. Are we selective about who benefits from our gifts? Would we rather withhold our gifts and take them to the grave, than share with ‘those’ people? I suspect this is the writer’s warning – our gifts have zero value when we die, less so in Sheol, the holding place for the dead. I pray us wisdom in discernment and grace to share our gifts with our communities.

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May all we seek be found in Christ