Being a very practical person when reading and trying to understand the spiritual truths in the Bible, the following two passages of scripture have become very real, powerful and profound in practical application.
“Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
“… just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Three Words – Love, Love and Serve
The second LOVE and SERVE is a result of the first LOVE. As we love God with our heart, soul and mind, with our entire being, this will result in an overflowing desire to love and serve people, in God’s way and only His way.
How do we truly love and serve people in God’s way? How can we take that abundance and overwhelming love that God gave us, to practically love and serve people around us? The key is to activate the spiritual gifts that the Holy Spirit has deposited in each one of us. How do we love people? Activate the spirituals gifts and use them. How do we serve people? Activate the spiritual gifts and use them. The Holy Spirit has given us gifts not only to be used in the church but in everyday life.
The key is to activate the gifts. To activate means to put into action. If you don’t use the gifts God has given you, they will lie dormant. Once activated, you will discover that the gifts will grow, develop, and God will keep pouring into your life.
Let me give you one example i.e. the gift of prophecy. Prophecy means to encourage, to edify or to build someone up. How do we do that? We do that with words. We all need to be encouraged every day. Find an opportunity today to activate the gift of prophecy. Encourage your friends, your colleagues or your family with words that are uplifting, that are positive, that builds them up and makes them feel worthy.
It is one of the most exciting experiences you will ever have when you love and serve someone by activating the spiritual gifts in you. Last week I had a wonderful opportunity to activate the gift of encouragement as I was served by a young lady. This was her reply a little later on that day, “Talking to you earlier gave me a spiritual boost again. Your ‘aura’ and your words really made an impact. I know I still need more of that. I hope to see you soon and be able to speak to you again and hear you talk.”
Let’s make the world a better place by making a difference in people’s lives by activating the spiritual gifts that God has entrusted to us.