In theological colleges, as students reflect on how their formation for ministry is proceeding, they are asked “What are your gifts and how are you using them?” Outside theological colleges, I’m not sure these questions emerge very often. But I think they probably should – we sometimes forget in the church that not just some, but all of us are being formed for ministry. This is what it means to be baptised – to be a Christian – that we commit ourselves to share our gifts with others. As Norman MacEwan puts it:
"Happiness is not so much in having as sharing.
We make a living by what we get,
but we make a life by what we give."[1]
We make a living by what we get,
but we make a life by what we give."[1]
So it makes sense to ask fairly regularly: what are my gifts and how am I using them. How am I making a life in all its fullness – how am I working with God (the giver of all gifts) to create a world in which all people – and especially those who are hurting – can experience justice, mercy and a flourishing life.
Those of you still at school – how often have you thought about your particular gifting and what you might do with it? Those of you who are setting out on new courses of study or new jobs this year, have you taken time to consider what particular gifts you have? Those of us whose lives are a whirl of busyness or chaos – those of us with too much time on our hands and those with far too little – those of us just managing to survive and those who are thriving – have we paused to reflect on what particular gifts we have been given for this life we are presently experiencing? Thinking about these things could make a big difference to the way we live.
When we think of gifts our minds often turn to what we receive on occasions of celebration – gifts of love and generosity – gifts secretly hoped for and ones never imagined – gifts that bring light and joy to life. Or, perhaps, gifts we’d rather not be given; sometimes gifts which lay a burden of expectation on us – or which take us into places we wouldn’t have thought to go. We can, and perhaps do, pack some of those more challenging gifts away in a cupboard – bringing them out only when Great Aunt Maude, comes to visit. Presents at Christmas, anniversaries and birthdays – we may not always like them, but we do know them for what they are: tangible signs of love and thoughtfulness. But what about the more intangible gifts given to us? Have we taken time to identify, celebrate and use those gifts given at birth? Have we nurtured these gifts; or have we put them away in a cupboard, leaving them to shrivel and die?
This morning we will participate in a litany of recommitment to ministries. It’s a litany we follow at about this time of year, every year. In it, we acknowledge the many gifts we have been given in our lives and we make a commitment to use them – not for ourselves but for the common good. We do this because we are committed to living as Jesus calls us to live – serving others and creating a world where there is justice, compassion and peace for all people.
There was once a woman, who was very gifted. She had acknowledged her many gifts and spent her whole life developing them. Through good fortune, hard work and wise living, she had built up a very successful business. As she got older and realised that she, like everyone else, would die one day, she started to worry about the future of her enterprise because she had no children or close relatives – just two nephews and a niece. What was she going to do? She wanted to hand on all the fruits of her honest hard work to someone who would, in their turn develop the gifts given to them.
So, she devised a reality-TV kind of show to suss out this younger generation – and to see with whom she might entrust what would be a most valuable gift. One day she summoned into her large and comfortable office her three young relatives. She explained how she had devised a problem for them. “And” she told them, “I’ve decided that whoever comes up with the best solution I’m going to write them into my will – they are going inherit everything I have – all my money, and the whole business.”
She handed each of them an equal amount of money, and gave instructions that each should buy something that would fill her office. And in true TV reality show style directed them to “spend no more than I have given you - and be sure to be back by sunset”
All day long each of the three cousins explored various options. Finally, as the day was ending, and the sun just about to set, they returned with their solutions. Their aunt was waiting eagerly, anxious to see how they had addressed the problem.
The first nephew dragged into her office several huge sacks of Styrofoam packing ‘peanuts’. As he poured them out of their sacks the office became almost – but not quite – completely filled. The Aunt was impressed – but, was it good enough?
After the room was cleared, the niece appeared, bringing with her bundles and bundles of helium filled balloons that floated throughout the office; the more she brought in, the more the office was filled – right to the ceiling. It was clearly a better result than the Styrofoam – but, in both cases, there were gaps, the room wasn’t entirely filled. The aunt noted that neither solution seemed particularly environmentally friendly – although she hadn’t stipulated that criteria for the challenge – but she was quick to praise the creativity of both.
She then turned to her second nephew, who stood silent and looked a bit forlorn. So, what have you got to offer? His aunt asked.
Well, replied the nephew, it’s like this. I spent half of the money you gave me helping a family whose house burned down last night. Then I ran into some kids in trouble and gave most of the rest of the money to a city youth centre. With the little bit I had left, I bought this candle and matches.
With that, he held up the candle and set it alight. And as his aunt and cousins looked on, the candle and its glowing light filled every corner of the room!
Quickly the aunt realised that here was the wisest one of her family – this one was worthy of her inheritance. She blessed the nephew for making the best use of his gift and welcomed him into her business.[2]
As we enter into the litany of recommitment to ministries, I invite you to think about the gifts that God has given you – not necessarily huge elaborate gifts, but ones that can light a candle in our world.
Candles have a way of challenging and defying our usual ways of thinking. They are lit at times of celebration and they are often used as a protest against the dark forces of injustice. Not only does one candle create light for a whole room, but in candle-language ‘one’ can quickly multiply itself – increasing exponentially!
Just think, if one candle takes its own warmth, brilliance and power and shares itself by lighting another, the first candle doesn’t lose anything. Rather, it multiplies itself. And that multiplication goes on and on: one becomes two, 2 become 8, which become16, 32, 64 and so on. In no time at all there is more than enough light for the whole world.
We all have a choice as to how we live and how we use our gifts. God calls us, a little like the aunt in our story did – to share our light with others. The choice often comes down to whether we want to be candle-lighters or candle-snuffers. I’m sure you all know people who are candle snuffers – isn’t it interesting how such people think? They assume that when they snuff out someone else’s candle, they themselves will shine brighter – but that’s not how it works. All they really do, is make their corner of the world a little bit darker and a whole lot colder for everyone. But those who are candle-lighters chase away the dark and make the world a brighter, warmer place for everyone.
“You carry the light of the world’ – this is the rich inheritance you have received from God. Will you make use of this gift? Will you be a candle-lighter?
In the silence, you might like to read over the litany of recommitment to ministries found in your order of service and to reflect on how you might use your gifts to be a candle lighter in your daily life.
There are many different gifts, but it is the same Spirit who gives them. There are many different ways of serving God, but it is the same God who is served. God works through different people in different ways, But it is the same God whose purpose is at work in them all. Each one is given a gift by the Spirit to use for the common good. Together we are the body of Christ, and individually members of it. Though we have many different gifts, together we have a ministry of reconciliation
led by Christ, who calls us to act in solidarity with the hopes and joys, the anxieties and sorrows,
of women and men everywhere. It is therefore our prayer that we may become a community in which every person can discover and stir into flame the gift God has given, whatever that gift may be. In Christ’s name let us dedicate all of our work to the service of God. Jesus Christ, use us in your service. Give us wisdom and courage to follow where you lead, so that in all we say and do, we may spread your peace and justice throughout the world.
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