1 Timothy 4:14
‘Do not neglect your gift. . . .’
Paul was here instructing his young protege on the rudiments of effective church leadership. There’s all kinds of great advice in this chapter like, don’t let them bully and intimidate you because of your age, stay away from godless myths and old wives’ tales. Tucked in here some where is this our focus today: do not neglect your gift!
Neglect conjures many synonyms: habitual lack of care. To pay little or no attention to. To disregard or fail to heed. To fail to do or carry out through carelessness or oversight.
Do not neglect your gift. Now its not a cute little sentence anymore, suddenly. Its a charge and a warning and a reminder. Its a call to mindfully and carefully cultivate our gift. Its a call to patiently nurture the gift we’ve been blessed with. Its a reminder that we will give account to the Giver of the use of our gift(like the parable of the talents).
You’d be surprised how many of us have buried our gifts deep within us. You’d be surprised how many of us cant even remember or do not know what our gift is. Your gift, a special endowment from God is that thing you can do really well, quite easily, without struggle. Could be singing, dancing, writing, praying, giving, speaking, sales, preaching, whatever. Every one has been endowed, and it is expected of us, to use our endowment, grow and multiply it and bless the world with it.
This is not about money or fame or recognition. These are later rewards for years and years of faithfully nurturing and consistently using your gifts in the back doors and alleys away from the public glare.
Please, do not neglect your gift!
Shalom.