As my school days were coming to an end, I was thinking a lot about what I wanted to do as a career.

In those days there were these comprehensive study guides that listed all sorts of subjects. From African studies to zoology, it seemed like the possibilities were endless! Each subject seemed to open a door to a completely different world, which was incredibly impressive, but also quite intimidating. I had to choose a single path that suited me.

Everyone has special talents and skills. These gifts are not just for finding a job that we like. God has given them to us so that we can nurture and develop them. Even if we work hard to improve our talents and are proud of them, it is God who has given us the opportunities and the success to do so.

As Christians, we are called to invite others to a life with Jesus. Our mission is to experience the love of God and show it in our daily lives. God has given us special gifts to use to build communities and share His love. When we work together, our individual talents become a powerful unit, and each of us has an important role to play. Whether it is kindness, helpfulness, technical skill, musical talent, an open ear, athletic ability, persuasive speaking skills, medical knowledge, organisational skills, or the ability to cook delicious meals, all these gifts and many more help to make God's love tangible.

God can also give us abilities that go beyond our natural talents. Sometimes He even gives us gifts that we rarely see – to perform miracles, to speak prophetically, to heal sickness, or to speak in foreign languages that we have not learnt. Other gifts that the Bible tells us about, such as the ability to teach well or to lead a group, seem more 'normal' but are just as important in God's eyes. Whether a task is big or small, supernatural or mundane, if it is done from the heart for God, it is valuable.

But the most important gift is love. No matter how talented you are, if you use your talents not for love but for selfish reasons, you are missing the most important thing. The world celebrates people who achieve something special. But with God it is the attitude of your heart that counts. Are you willing to use your gifts – many or few, big or small – for God and your fellow human beings

If you have an attitude of love and are active for God, you will be amazed at how He can make much out of little. God doesn't call the gifted, but He gives gifts to the called.

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Bible texts for in-depth study:
Acts 6:1-7; Romans 12:4-8; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, 27-28; 13; Ephesians 4:8, 11-16; 1 Timothy 3:1-13; 1 Peter 4:10-11