Are You an Eye, an Ear, or a Foot?—Finding Your Place

By Guest Blogger Shirley Giles Davis

How do you find your place within the people of God? Are you the eyes? ears? hands? feet? Or, maybe you are the heart, the liver, or the pancreas?

What does this anatomy quiz have to do with God’s people? Everything!

First Corinthians 12 says that the church is the body of Christ, and we, individual believers, are members (or parts) of that body.  Each part is essential–just as our eyes and our pancreas are essential to our lives–to the healthy functioning of God’s interdependent people.

We have each been given unique spiritual gifts to equip us to do the things that God calls us to do. What gifts have you been given? Do you even know what your gifts are? Every believer in Jesus has at least one spiritual gift, usually more than one.

Have your gifts shifted since the last time you paid attention? Or, does it feel like yours are less important? Scripture tells us that each of us plays a crucial role—no one is more or less important than another. How can your gifts be used to glorify God and accomplish His work in the world?

So, are you the eyes—the person who notices everything, who sees people? The ears—someone who listens intently, who hears…or the inner ear—do you bring balance to the Body? Are you the hands—the one who helps, builds, crafts, touches? The feet—the person who feels compelled to go, to do, to act? Maybe you are the heart—the pulsing energy, the compassionate empathizer, or the liver—the one who helps the church filter truth from lies or good from bad…

God made you and gave you a unique combination of gifts and talents and personality and passion to fulfill a unique role in the universe. He has a variety of places and purposes—custom-built for you. To find those places of “fit” takes effort, exploration, discernment, and the help of others.

The God. Gifts. You.: Your Unique Calling and Design six-week study guide is intended to help you, your small group, and/or your church live more fully into the adventure of being a community of Christ-followers. As you explore your calling, purpose, and discover and understand your unique, God-given spiritual gifts, you will see your whole life as ministry, not just what is done in the context of Sunday or church or even community volunteering.

Find something you love to do…and go do it! Find someone to do it with. Follow your passion, your gifts and your interests. God has blessed you to be a blessing. For more thoughts on gifts and involvement, explore the GodGiftsYou.com website.  Take the spiritual gifts assessment. Look for where God is active around you and join Him.

Remember—you are a grace-giver to others: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10).

Shirley Giles Davis

Shirley Giles Davis is a consultant/facilitator/coach/author with more than 30 years of experience in each arena. She has expertise in non-profit, government, and business management, leadership, marketing, strategic planning, evaluation, and implementation. Shirley has worked with a diverse clientele, including large and small businesses, city and county governments, state and national organizations, and religious and secular institutions. Her communications and public relations proficiency was developed working for both radio and television stations for more than 20 years. She also works in curriculum development, navigating change, community-building, conflict coaching, volunteer management, and resilience-building. Through her equipping work, she has helped guide nearly 4,000 individuals toward a better understanding of their unique gifts, passions, and callings.

Shirley has been Director of Equip-Connect-Serve Ministries at a church of 1,200 in Boulder, Colorado since 1999, connecting people with opportunities to serve and places of learning and fellowship. Shirley and her husband, a university professor, have been married since 1982. They are the parents of two adult daughters who are both pursuing their passions on the global stage. At any given time, one or more of their family is traveling somewhere outside the U.S.  Contact Shirley.