Once we realize..........

Since my last blog entry, you may have wondered what your gifts are. Maybe you have started to explore what they might be. I celebrate with you if you found your gift. If you have not already begun to identify, explore or expand your gifts I encourage you to begin.¹ Everyone's gift is important to humanity. What do we do once we find our gifts? What is their purpose, what will we do?

Once we truly realize that we are created by love and a power which has no other intention but our giftedness, our magnificence and beauty (Mt. 5:14-16),² we must also ask how are these gifts meant to be used? Many years ago, I came to the realization that all our gifts, whatever they are, are things we are here to share. We are not only here to share these gifts for our benefit financially or otherwise, no! We are here to share our gifts with everyone, regardless of their status, race, sexual orientation, faith affiliation, political affiliation, IQ, ability to go by rules, amount of money they have in the bank, or any other classifications or limitations that society hands down. Jesus demonstrated the ultimate way of sharing gifts, he healed the soldiers’ ear before he was arrested; a very benevolent gesture (Lk 22:51).³

Truly, we all must work to acquire the necessities of life. Because of special capabilities we call gifts, being financially compensated when using our gifts is how society works. Yet, there must be a time when we give thanks for the gifts we have received. This thanks giving becomes implemented when we are willing to give of our gifts freely, beyond the jobs we have, without compensation. It is then we will become a benevolent society: a society that can refrain from judgment and therefore honor God by sharing the gift with which we have been endowed.

This theology and essence of thanksgiving gives us a vantage point to operate out of the “cup that is full and overflowing.” It will change our outlook on life. No more will we worry about survival. We will begin to receive, as we are eager to give. Yet, we will not give in order to receive. Motivation and fear of not enough, simply known as greed, will fade into the background. Benevolence, compassion and above all thanksgiving will be the new motivator, with the result of abundance for all.

Neither Communism nor Collectivism falls under this new frame of mind. We think these systems are about “sharing.” Both systems work from an ideology that is based on NOT ENOUGH, on scarcity. (*) The theology and essence of thanksgiving can only operate out of the enough. This the abundance that is constantly flowing to us as gifts, gifts for and from our neighbors and gifts from God, the higher power that has sustained humanity throughout the ages.

I am quite aware that this idea might frighten some people. Nelsen Mandela quoted in his inaugural speech:

“... our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light,

not our darkness that most frightens us.”... Your playing small does

not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that

other people won't feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest

the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.”⁴

What might be the most difficult thing to address in order to embrace this idea, the theology of thanksgiving, is that it puts us in the open with all our vulnerabilities. Therefore, to be able to overcome this fear we need inner reflection and prayer and a deep God-connectedness. Other wise our vulnerabilities will pervert that natural God power and cause through our power oppression instead of love, compassion and empowerment of others. Jacobson writes, “Spirit power is critically divergent from the abusive power. The Spirit power of Jesus is characterized by healing, humility, shared wealth, and non violence.”⁵

One other way this spirit power will change society is by realizing that we are not the only ones with gifts. We will see amazing gifts in others; we will see their beauty and rejoice. We will be eager to help others and our children to develop their gifts. No more will we squash someone's gifts because we are jealous. No more will we look at our neighbor with suspicion. No more will we hurry to get the “Know your neighbor paper” to find out which of our neighbors was arrested this week. We will stop seeing others from the vantage point of suspicion and fear. Instead, we will start seeing others through the eyes of Christ, the eyes that see beauty and gifts, eyes that see mistakes, which are there in order to advance, and are a stepping-stone to improvement and magnificence.

Another problem that can arise is to classify the gifts. We live in a society that loves to classify. No gift is better than the other is, they are all unique and tailored to the benefit of God's people. All people who wish to be are God's people.

First, I invite you to find and embrace your own gifts, then embrace and celebrate your neighbor’s gifts and finally live your gifts out of thanksgiving, sharing and caring for all.

1I will write a blog entry next time just on how to find and recognize your gift. 

2Biblical Verses from NRSV

3Biblical Verses from NRS

4Dennis A. Jacobson, Doing Justice (Pg. 48)

5Dennis A. Jacobson, Doing Justice (Pg. 47)
(*) from a speaker from the DOC General Assembly