Your gifts have a purpose. Your life is an example
You're Always Teaching, Whether You Know It or Not
Your gifts have a purpose. Your life is an example. And there are people connected to both.
Have you ever stopped to think about the gifts and talents God has placed within you?
Each one of us has been uniquely created by God. There is no one else exactly like you. No one has your exact combination of gifts, talents, experiences, and abilities.
And I believe there is a reason for that.
God didn't give us these gifts simply for our own enjoyment, success, or personal accomplishments. He gave them to us for something greater.
There are people attached to your purpose.
There are people who need the wisdom you have gained. People who need the encouragement you can offer. People who need to hear your testimony, learn from your experiences, or be strengthened by the gifts God has placed within you.
But how often do we allow fear, insecurity, comparison, or the opinions of others to prevent us from fully developing and using those gifts?
Jesus tells us in John 10:10:
"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." — John 10:10 (KJV)
The enemy would love nothing more than to keep us from walking in the fullness of God's purpose.
He wants us to believe we aren't good enough, aren't qualified, or don't have anything valuable to offer.
And sometimes, before we ever give our gifts the opportunity to grow, we bury them beneath the lies we have believed.
But consider what is really at stake.
When we allow fear to silence our voices or keep us from developing our gifts, it doesn't just affect us. It can also affect the people God intended us to reach.
What if someone is waiting for the encouragement you are afraid to give?
What if someone needs the wisdom you have been hesitant to share?
What if your testimony is exactly what someone needs to hear to believe that Jesus can transform their life, too?
Our gifts are not just about us. They are about what God wants to accomplish through us.
You're Teaching Even When You Don't Realize It
As I was reflecting on this, my thoughts went back to the mama cats in my barn.
Over the years, I have watched these cats give birth to their kittens and begin the process of raising them.
When the kittens are first born, they are completely dependent on their mother. But as they grow, they begin to venture out and explore the world around them.
I remember watching those little kittens slowly make their way out of their safe surroundings.
At first, they wouldn't go very far. If one wandered too far away, that mama cat would quickly grab it by the back of its neck and carry it right back to where it belonged.
As the kittens grew older, they became more adventurous. They started playing, exploring, and discovering the world around them.
But that mama cat was always watching.
She taught them where to go and where not to go. She showed them how to hunt, recognize danger, and survive.
Nobody had to sit that mama cat down and explain how to be a teacher.
God had placed within her the instinct to nurture, guide, protect, and prepare her kittens for life.
And as I thought about those mama cats, something struck me.
We are all teachers, whether we realize it or not.
You don't have to stand in front of a classroom. You don't have to be a coach, pastor, mentor, or professional speaker.
You don't even have to say a word.
Because every single day, someone is learning from the example you are setting.
Just like those kittens were watching their mother, there are people watching us.
They see how we respond to disappointment, how we treat others, how we handle conflict, and how we react when things don't go our way.
They hear how we speak about people when they aren't around.
And perhaps most importantly, they see whether our actions reflect the faith we profess.
Jesus Taught Through His Example
In John 13:13–15, Jesus gives us a powerful picture of what it means to teach through our actions.
On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus washed His disciples' feet.
Think about that for a moment.
Washing someone's dusty feet was considered a task for a servant. Yet Jesus, their Lord and Teacher, humbled Himself and performed this act of service.
He then explained that He had given them an example to follow.
Jesus didn't simply tell His disciples to serve others. He showed them what serving others looked like.
The greatest Teacher of all time taught not only through His words, but through His actions.
And He calls us to do the same.
In John 7:16, Jesus explained that His teaching came from the One who sent Him.
What a powerful reminder that our lives should not be directed simply by our own desires, emotions, or opinions, but by the truth of God's Word.
Which leads me to a question I believe we should all ask ourselves.
What Is Your Life Teaching Others?
Sometimes we are intentional about teaching others. We share knowledge, offer advice, mentor someone, or help them learn something new.
But what about all the moments when we aren't intentionally teaching?
What about the times when we become frustrated and respond in anger?
When we participate in gossip?
When we allow fear to dictate our decisions instead of trusting God?
When we say we believe one thing, but our actions demonstrate something entirely different?
Someone may be watching.
And whether we realize it or not, we are setting an example.
I know there have been moments in my own life when I haven't responded the way Christ would have wanted me to.
Times when frustration, impatience, fear, or my own emotions influenced my behavior.
And I wonder how often someone may have been watching me in those moments.
What did they learn?
Did they see the love of Christ? Did they see patience, kindness, grace, and compassion?
Or did they see something that didn't reflect the faith I profess to have?
That's a challenging question.
Jesus tells us:
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." — Matthew 5:16 (KJV)
Notice that Jesus doesn't simply tell us to speak about the light.
He tells us to let our light shine.
Our actions should reflect the God we serve.
Of course, we won't always get it right. We are human, and we will make mistakes.
But even our mistakes provide opportunities to teach.
We can demonstrate humility by admitting when we are wrong, grace by asking for forgiveness, and faith by turning back to God when we have wandered from His will.
Sometimes the most powerful lesson we can teach is not that we are perfect, but that we are willing to be corrected, changed, and transformed by Jesus Christ.
The question isn't whether we are teaching others. The question is what are we teaching them?
God Doesn't Call the Perfect — He Uses the Willing
When I think about the people God has used throughout Scripture, I am reminded that He has never limited His work to those who appeared qualified, confident, or perfect.
Consider Moses, who doubted his ability to lead and struggled with speaking. Yet God used him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
Or Gideon, who was fearful and insecure, yet God called him to lead an army.
Think about Rahab, whose past and circumstances might have caused others to overlook her. Yet her faith became part of a much greater story.
Then there was Peter, an ordinary fisherman who denied knowing Jesus three times. Yet God used him to become a bold leader in the early church.
And Paul, who once persecuted Christians, became one of the most influential messengers of the Gospel.
These individuals remind us of something incredibly important.
Your past does not disqualify you.
Your fear does not disqualify you.
Your weaknesses do not disqualify you.
Your mistakes do not have to define your future.
In 1 Corinthians 1:27, we are reminded that God chooses the things the world considers foolish and weak to accomplish His purposes.
God sees beyond what the world sees.
He sees potential, purpose, and possibilities that we may not even recognize within ourselves.
And if God can use these unlikely individuals, why would we believe He cannot use us?
Perhaps the very experiences you wish you could erase are the experiences God will use to help someone else.
Perhaps the struggle you have overcome will become the testimony that gives another person hope.
God doesn't require perfection. He asks for our willingness.
Are We Only Helping the People We Know?
It's easy to share our gifts with the people closest to us.
We help our family, encourage our friends, offer advice to coworkers, and share our knowledge with people we already know.
Those are all wonderful things.
But is that where our responsibility ends?
What about the person who doesn't have a strong support system?
The individual who has experienced rejection, hardship, or disappointment?
The person who has lost their way or simply doesn't know how deeply God loves them?
Are we willing to reach beyond our familiar circles to help someone else?
Jesus didn't limit His ministry to the people who were already close to Him.
He reached out to the broken, spoke to those others overlooked, and showed compassion to those who had been rejected.
He saw potential in people who couldn't even see it in themselves.
I wonder how many opportunities we miss because we are so focused on our own schedules, responsibilities, and familiar relationships that we fail to notice the people God is placing in our path.
Perhaps it isn't always about finding more time.
Perhaps it's about becoming more intentional with the time God has already given us.
What if we began each morning with a simple prayer?
Lord Jesus, open my eyes today. Show me who You want me to encourage. Show me who You want me to help. Help me recognize the opportunities You place before me. Let my words, my actions, and my life reflect You.
What if we began looking for the people standing on the outside?
The person sitting alone.
The person who has lost hope.
The person who feels forgotten.
The person who has made mistakes and doesn't believe they deserve another chance.
Sometimes all someone needs is one person willing to reach out.
One person willing to listen.
One person willing to share a little wisdom.
One person willing to remind them that God hasn't given up on them.
And that person might be you.
Don't Hide What God Has Given You
Jesus tells us in Matthew 5 that we are the light of the world and that a light isn't meant to be hidden under a basket.
It is meant to shine.
I believe the same is true of the gifts and talents God has placed within us.
They were never meant to remain hidden beneath fear, insecurity, comparison, or the lies of the enemy.
They were given to us for a purpose.
And that purpose is greater than ourselves.
So today, I want to encourage you to ask yourself two questions.
First, am I developing and using the gifts God has given me?
Or have I allowed fear, self-doubt, and insecurity to prevent me from becoming all He created me to be?
Second, what am I teaching others through the way I live?
Am I reflecting the love, grace, kindness, and compassion of Jesus Christ?
Am I setting an example that draws people closer to Him?
Am I willing to step outside my familiar circle and use what God has given me to help someone else?
Because whether you realize it or not, someone is watching.
Someone is learning.
Someone is being influenced by the way you live.
And somewhere, someone may be waiting for the very gift God has placed within you.
Don't allow the enemy to steal what God intended to use for His glory.
Don't hide your talents beneath a basket.
Don't limit your purpose to the people you already know.
Develop what God has given you. Live as an example of His love. Be willing to share your gifts with the people He places in your path.
Because your gifts were given for a reason, your life is teaching a lesson, and there are people attached to your purpose.
A Final Thought
Today, before you go about your responsibilities, ask God to help you recognize one person you can encourage, serve, or teach through your example.
It may be someone you know well, or it may be a complete stranger.
You never know how one act of kindness, one encouraging word, or one moment of compassion might change someone's life.
And you never know how God might use that moment for something far greater than you could imagine.
Keep shining His light. Keep sharing your gifts. And never forget that God has a purpose for your life.
— Sarah Ann Rose
Fearlessly Unshackled | Helping Others Find Freedom, Purpose, and Their Identity in Christ
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