What are your spiritual gifts?

That’s an intimidating question, I know. Perhaps just the mention of spiritual gifts puts you on edge, especially if you come from a tradition that views "the gifts" with suspicion. Or maybe you believe in the gifts but are unsure what yours are.

Whatever your reaction, the question likely makes you think of, well, you. We tend to think of spiritual gifts like we think of an Enneagram type or workplace skills. But Bible scholar Carmen Joy Imes challenges us to rethink this individualistic emphasis. She argues that when Paul teaches about gifts in the New Testament, he "wasn’t interested in personal empowerment or self-discovery."

Instead, she writes:

"Paul doesn’t speak of spiritual gifts as divine packages that arrive on individual doorsteps but as people sent to build up the church. As we offer our service to our church communities, we give the gifts of those ministries to others. We become the gifts."

In other words, spiritual gifts aren’t about you—they’re given for the sake of others. Read her reflection: Spiritual Gifts with Strings Attached?

Personally, I find this insight freeing. It takes the pressure off. I don’t have to worry about spiritual gifts. They’re not about me anyway. I’m just called to use what God has given me to love and serve others.