Gifts & Callings

I found the quote (posted below) from Zacharias to be an interesting one, especially as you consider (sadly) the many people who begin the race with the Lord so very well, but ultimately fall by the wayside. Such is sometimes the case in ministry as well; a person is brought up quickly as a result of their call and or gifts, but in time they focus upon their giftedness thinking that they are in fact the gift.

Gifts and callings are both of God, but we err when we begin to think that the gift is of us and the calling from God a result of our gift. The scriptures tell us that we are "God's workmanship created for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10) We have been specifically gifted by God to do good works, which He specifically prepared for us before the world began that we should fulfill them.

I know for me there was a time when I became focused upon my gift as a teacher, but lost sight of my calling to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. I think, perhaps Moses, before his 40 year exile in Midian, became enamored with his giftedness. He lost sight of his calling until he again met the Lord at the burning bush, where he would confess, "Who am I that I should go... and that I should bring forth the children of Israel?" (Exodus 3:11) After the brokenness of the desert Moses had lost sight of the gift, although it was there, and now only saw the calling in the light of himself.