Gifts – Unclaimed or Unwrapped?

Remember the Sweet Giveaway I had for Valentine’s Day? The one with Godiva chocolate as the prize? Well, my daughter Kelli won the gift card, but she just this week got around to using it. Crazy, huh?! How could anyone delay her delight and sit on a gift of chocolate like that for seven months?!

In Kelli’s defense, I must tell you that she doesn’t have a Godiva store in her community so she did have to wait for an opportunity to use the card. On the other hand, she actually missed some chances because she forgot to bring it with her when she traveled to cities flowing with milk, honey, and Godiva chocolates. It drove me crazy knowing there was unclaimed chocolate in our family :)

After several reminders from me over the months, Kelli finally remembered the gift card this week, and I was lucky enough to be on hand when it was used. Yes, you heard me right. I got to sink my teeth into a piece of one of my own giveaways :) A “chocolate souffle” truffle to be exact! Kelli and I met in T-town for a day of shopping before she began her new job, and you better believe Godiva was on our list of stops. If she had brought the card with her back in June when her sister joined us for a day on the town, Kristin could have enjoyed the gift, too. (Kristin, I would say Kelli owes you a chocolate!).

Just think — Kelli had a gift sitting around for seven long months that didn’t do anyone any good. I wonder how many of us have gifts we haven’t used yet? I’m not just talking about presents we’ve been given that we don’t really care for or haven’t been able to use for some reason. I’m talking about our talents and abilities and those special spiritual gifts that God tells us He has given to all believers. Scripture says, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others…” (1 Peter 4:10a). Yes, we each have been given gifts.

I jotted down a quote some time ago (author unknown) that says, “Everyone is gifted — but some people never open their package.” Have we opened our packages? Are we using the gifts God has given? If not, let’s think about what’s holding us back and do our best to move beyond those hurdles. Remember, when we’re not using our gifts, we are shortchanging ourselves as well as others. Someone is missing out on a blessing. Someone’s delight is being delayed — or never experienced at all.

We don’t want to just sit on our gifts, do we? I say “let the unwrapping begin!”

“…I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you…” 2 Timothy 1:6

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*Flickr photo by shimelle, Creative Commons License

Comments

  1. Beautiful post, Cheryl! Except . . .

    you made me crave chocolate! ;-)

  2. Amen Sister!

  3. I enjoyed your thougthts on our Spiritual gifts. Our pastor preached about them each Sunday for most of two months.

    One of the basic thoughts I have remembered since I fist studied this topic is God gives us these abilities to advance his kingdom.

  4. Quietspirit, welcome to my blog and thanks for giving us some additional food for thought!

  5. Amen to this.

    If we never unwrap or use the gifts He’s given us, how can we stand accountable before God when He asks what we have done with them?

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