1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

The other day I was working on some sprinkler lines in the yard and I needed a particular shovel from the garage. I have four shovels hanging in my garage each designed for distinct kinds of work. There’s a large spade shovel for big digs and one with a short handle for tight spaces. I also have a flat shovel and then there’s the one I call the skinny shovel which is designed to dig narrow holes like when you need to put a sprinkler pipe in the ground.

In today’s verse Paul tells us that we have each been given spiritual gifts. He goes on to explain that these gifts are not simply for our own benefit but they are given in order for us to serve others. In other words we’ve been given some tools to use to serve others.

In another letter Paul tells us that there are good works or acts of service that have been prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

We might not even know what these good works are at the time we are given the opportunity to do them but they are they are out there in the future waiting for us. How exciting to think that we’ve been given some assignments in our Christian life and they are out there waiting for us to accomplish. Even more encouraging is the fact that we have been given the tools we need to complete these tasks. How cool to think that God gives us what we need to serve Him. You have exactly the right tools you need for the tasks that He has given you to do.