Recently I had the opportunity to get together with friends and fling some steel shot at Canada Geese. We planned to meet early on the morning of the hunt. Not long after I arrived, my friend Joe drove up in his vehicle. The bed of his truck was filled with goose decoys that stood at attention and ready for duty.
At first glance, Joe’s truck may appear to be an old rust bucket, nothing really special. Dents, scars, scratches and rusted rear quarter panels decorate its body. However, there is more to this rig than meets the eye. No, it will never win any blue ribbons at any car shows. It definitely doesn’t smell that good or isn’t that comfortable to ride in. But, this beat up old pick-up has a much greater purpose. You see, this rig is a huntin’ truck. Its purpose is to take hunter to and from the woods and waters in pursuit of furred, feathered and finned quarry.
This special piece of equipment carries all that’s needed for the hunter on his adventures. Guns, ammo, knives, and extra camo. Deer lure, decoys, backpacks and empty drink bottles to be used as spit cups later. Fishing rods and lures, extra oil for the truck, and McDonalds sausage biscuit wrappers in the floorboard. A Hank Williams Jr. CD (one with the song, A Country Boy Can Survive), extra dog collars, turkey calls, duck calls, grunt calls and three or four extra flashlights. This vehicle dons aggressive grip tires for inclement weather and muddy terrain and a trailer hitch for pulling a boat. The hunter needs not worry about missing days afield because of bad weather, for this vehicle is also equipped with 4-wheel drive. It will push through water and brush, and bang up against trees and rocks without fear of losing its dollar value. In fact, the added dents and dings give it character – evidence that it is fulfilling its purpose. To the hunter who owns this heap of metal, it only becomes more beautiful with such war-wounded blemishes. No, the truck is not much to look at, but it is extremely valuable to its owner.
That old truck has a very special purpose. And guess what, so do you. God has never created anything without a purpose. Colossians 1:16 says: “For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible…everything got started in God and finds its purpose in him” (The Message). God has shaped you in a special way. You are unique. God can use you: dents, scars and rusty quarter panels and all, to serve Him in ministry. He made you for a mission to tell others about the love of Christ. You may have reservations. You may think that you’re not properly equipped. Don’t be afraid. It’s common to feel like you can’t be used or that you are just not good enough to be used by God. Nothing could be further from the truth. He has probably equipped you more than you realize. Equipped just like that old huntin’ truck, complete with a powerful 4-wheel drive to push through the rubbish of life and the traction to pull up the mountain from the valley. You come complete with a hitch to pull others along with you who are marred up in struggles on ground that you’ve driven through before. You may think you’re just common. Not much to look at and beat up from a past. However, like that old truck, you are extremely valuable to the owner, GOD. God can use you! Let him – ‘cause God don’t make no junk!
Read below to learn more about your SHAPE for ministry.
YOUR TIME, TALENT AND TREASURE
Discovering Your SHAPE for Ministry
God has uniquely shaped everyone He has saved to serve Him. We serve God by serving other people. At Cornerstone, we call it your S.H.A.P.E., and it’s your special fit for ministry.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10 NKJV
Note the two underlined words. The first, “workmanship,” is a translation of the Greek word, “poema.” It’s obvious that we get our English word, “poem,” from this word. In addition to “workmanship,” it can also be translated, “masterpiece.” The word has the idea of a unique creation; not something made by cookie-cutter. God has made each of us uniquely different so that all that He wants accomplished on the earth can be done.
The word “good works” is another word for “ministry.” The Bible is communicating the idea that our unique design is for the purpose of carrying out God’s plan on the earth. These “ministries” include both actions within the church AND the things we do outside of the church – roles as a spouse, parent, deeds, vocations, etc.
You need to understand your S.H.A.P.E.
Spiritual Gifts – When you are born-again, the Bible says that the Holy Spirit gives you a supernatural gift or gifts to enable you fulfill God’s unique purposes for your life. Often times, this spiritual gift will complement your natural talents. For example, if you can sing, that is a talent; you were born with ability. But when you become a Christian, God may give you the spiritual gift of evangelism. And now, when you sing, people become convicted of their need to receive Christ as Savior. We will help you discover your gifts.
Heart – God has made you the way He wants you to be made. He has given you a unique emotional heartbeat. There are things that interest you that don’t interest others; there are things that move you to tears that have little or no effect on others. God has given you the heart you have to use to serve Him. Ask yourself, “What things move me with passion?” Is it seeing children taught the Bible? Youth giving their testimonies? These are keys to your heart-shape.
Abilities – Some people have natural abilities with words – they were born talking. Others have athletic abilities. Some can sing. Some people have the ability to make people feel comfortable by simply being outgoing and quickly offering a hand. God has given everyone of us some abilities to use for Him. He wants all of our abilities used for His glory. And He doesn’t want us to look at others’ abilities and feel like we were shorted. God wants you to use your abilities to serve others.
Personality – There is no right or wrong personality for serving God. Some people are quiet; some are loud. Some people are outgoing; some are introverted. Some love to laugh; some are very serious. God wants you to serve “with the grain” of your personality. When you have to do something that requires an unnatural personality, you will become frustrated. God made you to be you!
Experiences – Think of the road your life has traveled. You have experiences that are unique to you. Your experiences are: your family, education, vocational, spiritual, ministry, and pain and struggles. God wants to use all of these to prepare you for ministry. The last category, pain and struggles, is the surprising area that God most wants to use in your life. And, interestingly, we often think that it is the area that disqualifies us.
Nothing could be further from the truth. For example, who can better comfort a women whose husband dies than another woman who has been through the same experience? Who can better relate to a drug addict than the recovering addict who has been there? God, by way of His supernatural grace, wants to use your most painful, shameful hurt for His glory and the good of other people.
You will be most successful, most fulfilled, and most effective when you use your S.H.A.P.E. for ministry.
How has God uniquely shaped you?
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