Using your spiritual gifts

Romans 12: 6-7  "We have different gifts according to the grace given us.  If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.  If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach."

We spend a lot of time and energy at various points in our lives trying to figure out the perfect job fit for ourselves.  We take personality and aptitude tests that suggest what jobs might suit us.  The primary driver behind our education system is to prepare us for the workforce. A common question we ask children is, "what do you want to be when you grow up?"  The natural follow-on question when you meet someone for the first time is, "what do you do?"  Our focus as a country is even more concentrated right now with so many people not able to find jobs.

Do we do a good job of choosing what we do, and do we use the right criteria to choose?  The most practical criteria for choosing a profession or occupation is whether you can earn a good living doing it.  Some may be concerned with the level of power or prestige that comes with certain positions. 

The real litmus test should be whether or not a job allows you the opportunity to use the unique giftings God has given each of us.  More importantly, do you know what your gifts are?  Are you using them in your life to expand God's Kingdom?  This is the heart of the matter and where our real focus should be.