April 27, 2023
Melissa Valerio
I love to cook and bake. Ever since I was a child, I have loved putting ingredients together and forming all kinds of things. Recipes delighted me! I thought it was so neat that you could put all these random ingredients together and produce a delicious tasting meal that nourished the body and soul. It was so much fun! But I know not everyone likes to cook. Just like not everyone likes to paint, or sing, or do housework. That’s because we have all been given individual talents and abilities. God has gifted us with differences in our interests and likes. To one person, He gave the gift of speed, to another the gift of gardening, to someone else the love of mechanics. Every single one of us has an interest in something. Maybe it’s music, maybe it’s public speaking. Perhaps it’s constructing & building or organizing or crafting. That’s the beauty of God, He can be displayed in so many different ways in so many different people. But it doesn’t stop there! These talents and abilities He’s given us can do so much more than just please and entertain us. In reality, He’s given them to us for the benefit of others. Not to be consumed by ourselves, but for building His Kingdom, glorifying Him, and helping people everywhere. Fruit that grows on trees aren’t meant to nourish the trees, but to nourish others.
So how can I use my love of cooking to glorify Him and benefit others? So many ways! I can bake cookies and give them to my neighbors, showing them the love of Jesus. I can cook food for a local mission house, showing the provision of God. I can make a meal for a friend who’s going through a hard time, showing the comfort of our Lord. I can teach my children how to cook, so one day they can serve others as well. There are so many ways to display God’s glory in the way He’s already constructed me. It’s no trouble to do what I’m already interested in doing. It’s easy because that’s the way I was made.
So how about you? What are you passionate about? What is important to you and what interests you? These are the innate abilities you were born with. It’s the way God made you. Think of what you love to do, and then commit to perfecting that craft for His glory. Proverbs 16:3 encourages us to “Entrust your work to the Lord, and your planning will succeed” (ISV) Whatever interest He has given you; you can turn around and use to glorify Him. He will show you where you can deposit these gifts and grow them into fruit. Fruit that is good for the benefit of others.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the way You constructed each one of us. When You formed us in our mother’s womb, You deposited specific gifts, talents, and abilities that are unique to each of us. Help us to discover those talents and use them for the good of others. In this way, we can glorify You and share You with the world. In the matchless name of Your Son, Jesus, Amen.
Action: Read Matthew 25:14-30. Think about your interests and natural talents. Think about what you already love to do. That is your unique gift that God has entrusted to you. Your talents and abilities were not meant to be hidden or buried. Ask the Lord to show you how you can use your gifts for the growth of His Kingdom. Remember, it will always involve the benefit of others.