Post from July 10, 2023

“👟 RSD 1168 ✅ Today’s Verse: “A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before the great.” — Proverbs 18:16

We share the world with all kinds of people—different physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual characteristics—different talents and strengths, weaknesses too. Think about it: even in your circle of friends you can easily find someone who is as different from you as they are from another friend and you are from another friend. People have different experiences, are good at different things, like different things. Star Trek fans (Trekkies), Dr. Who fans (Whovians), Taylor Swift fans (Swifties), Lady Gaga fans (Little Monsters), Packers fans (Cheeseheads), Star Wars fans (the human race); you know if you’re an Aggies fan you’re the 12th Man; a fan of the singer Jewel makes you an EDA (everyday angel), a Potterhead if you love Harry Potter, Cowboys fans just know they’re rooting for America’s Team, and Beatles fans…well, that’s also the human race. Everyone’s characteristics are as different as their preference in music, art, or sports and seem to sort themselves out, celebrating both uniqueness and commonality—like sorting the four Harry Potter houses (s/o to my fellow Hufflepuffs 💛🦡). There are all kinds, but we’re all humankind—all different, yet we’re all called to the same “be kind.”

The other day, I was thinking about the word kind, meaning “character, nature, a group of people or things having similar characteristics,” and wondered how it’s origin relates to the word kind as in kindness. I know that there are such things as homonyms, but here’s my thing: humankind is who we are, and being kind is our shared charge. According to Google/Oxford, both versions originate from the Old English (Germanic) word “gecynde,” which (according to the Middle English Compendium on the University of Michigan website) means, “in accordance with the ordinary course of nature, native, or congruent with man’s innate moral nature.” God created all kinds of people to make up humankind. It all started out with one man (you know, Adam from Genesis), human, and then God created Eve, and that’s when “human” became humankind. The “kind” added indicates more than one. Two people. Humankind. Because, when there’s more than one, the “kind” is necessary, both to indicate multiple people, and, under the surface, how they should treat each other.

Today’s verse talks about gifts. There are many kinds of gifts, and this verse (written by King Solomon from the other day) also uses words carefully to convey more than one message. Some commentaries of this verse teach that gifts means favors, etc., and that, even though doing favors and such might raise your status with someone of importance, it’s our job to keep in mind that we need to give honestly and to never hold it in some sort of till to use as a bribe or bargaining chip. It’s ok to show ourselves as dependable, etc, but we need to do so with the utmost respect for the other person and not just to gain something for ourselves. Some commentaries teach that gifts are our gifts, as in our gifts from God, and that’s how I took it when I read it—it’s cool how the Bible has a way of always telling us what we need to hear. So, you might wonder, “Well, then, how do the gifts ‘[bring] him before the great?’” Any time we use our gifts for the good of humanity (which glorifies God), it brings us closer to God. Called to kindness, called to serve, called to compassion, called to honesty, called to courage, called to purposeful action, called to love, all called by God.

Your gift, your calling? What kind of things are you good at? Some people with (what society recognizes as) a lot of talent could easily answer sports or dancing or music/singing or comedy or acting or writing or painting or drawing, etc., and those talents are awesome, but those talents aren’t what this means by “gifts.” Don’t get me wrong: those are absolutely gifts from God (“ Every good and perfect gift is from above” — James 1:17), and you can absolutely use them, but even your more recognizable gifts have gifts within them. It’s tempting to go, “Well, I can’t sing or anything, so I don’t really have anything to offer,” but those “cool” gifts are meant to help us develop and use our other gifts that we all have. See, everyone’s gifts are to help us love each other and to help us share the love of God with others. A lot of these gifts seem like small traits, but, if you’re the person on the receiving end of someone using their gift, these traits aren’t so small, are they? These gifts are of all kinds, and they give us every chance to be our kind and to be kind—to be the kind of person we’re meant to be.

What kinds of things are you good at? Do you encourage others—do you cheer for people and help them cheer for themselves? Do you counsel others (you know, take the time to listen and talk it out from a place of understanding)? Are you a good friend (you know, you’ll reach out when a friend needs it or even just randomly to let them know they’re awesome, or do you hit that like and comment on FB just to let them know you’re celebrating alongside them)? Do you pray for people—even friends of friends who you don’t know? Are you compassionate (you know, you’ll listen to someone cry, sit beside them and really listen, or do you see those people who seem invisible to others)? Are you brave, or are you tenacious in that you don’t think you’re brave but will do whatever you’re afraid of anyway? Are you gentle—when people just need some support, are you there? Can you figure things out really well—you know, you can solve problems and work with others to further the progress? Are you joyful, especially in such a way that it’s contagious (you know, sunshine in a bottle—actually, sunshine as a person)? Are you trustworthy—do you show up for people? Are you adventurous and willing to help others find it in themselves? Are you gracious—because you know that a lot of times cutting people some slack can do a lot for them? Do you serve, even when it’s not glamorous…or even noticed? Do you love—do you try your best for others? Galatians 5:22-23 guarantees you have something, and it’s something great, even if it seems small to you, great things are only a bunch of small things. Mountains are made of a whole bunch of rocks; vast beaches are only tiny grains of sand.

What kind of rock or sand are you? Try and do “the next right thing” (Frozen 2), and God will lead you to where your gifts are needed. God will lead you safely down the right path, and He’ll show you more destinations for you and your gifts along that path than you could ever imagine. “A man’s gift makes room for him”—makes room for what? It clears the debris from the path so we won’t trip over it—it makes room for us to journey toward being who God created us to be. Using our gifts make space for us to become “us”—you know, the “us” that God dreamed up and handcrafted, the “us” that God wants us to be. We all have such potential, and God affords us opportunities to grow and grow and grow. Using our gifts for others and for God gives us room to grow into ourselves and to become increasingly familiar with His voice (His words, His signs, etc). We’re called to be our kind (to cultivate our gifts from God), and we’re called to be kind (to use these gifts for His glory, to love each other). So, we should never think of our gifts as “ordinary” or “not cool” because they can do a lot. We’re all kinds—we’re all sorted differently but it’s all for a specific purpose, God’s purpose for our lives and how our lives travel alongside others’. So, since I mentioned “sorting,” here comes the closing metaphor: whether you’re Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Slytherin, or Ravenclaw, don’t worry about whether those characteristics and talents can “really do anything.” “‘With God all things are possible’” — Matthew 19:26. God knows how you’re “sorted” in this world, and He made you just the “kind” the world needed.”