Use Your Gifts Well
1 How does Jehovah feel about your faithful heartfelt service? He generously rewards those who extend themselves in serving him. Past history of faithful men and women verifies this. Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3; Rom. 4:3), Rahab (Josh. 2; 6:25; Matt. 1:5) and Phinehas (Num. 25:10-13) were among those who received such rewards.
2 Abraham, Rahab and Phinehas are remembered for their acts of faith and obedience. Is this not what Jehovah expects of us? Yes. And, how thankful we are that Jehovah is a God of appreciation. Whatever gifts we possess and use in properly serving Him are acceptable. Notice was taken of the widow who could only give two small coins. (Luke 21:3) The requirement in ancient Israel for sacrificial gifts to Jehovah was according to what a person was able to give.—Deut. 16:17.
3 Likewise, today, we all possess different abilities that can be used in telling the good news to others. Our circumstances in life differ and this, too, affects how much we are able to do. As in the past, it is not always great things that individuals do that accomplish the preaching and teaching. (Matt. 28:19, 20; Mark 13:10) Rather, in cooperation with the whole association of brothers, it is our willing and diligent use of what we do have that counts. Our using to the full the gifts we have, combined with the activity of all our brothers, brings rich rewards from Jehovah’s hand. This has been our experience in serving Jehovah, has it not? So, we have reason to appreciate how Jehovah uses our abilities, whether small or great, to his praise.
4 Some do very well in store-to-store work or street work. Others have had excellent results in house-to-house work. Informal witnessing is a field in which much good is also being accomplished. Share to the extent that you can in any and all of these privileges. Use your gifts well, whatever they may be, as you work closely with your brothers in the congregation.
5 For example, one older, foreign-speaking couple does especially well in the magazine work from house to house. They place hundreds of magazines a month. As they return with new magazines from week to week, they take particular note of those who show interest. To help cultivate much of the interest they have found, others in the congregation have used their gifts in making return visits and starting studies.
6 Continue to develop your abilities in presenting the good news in various ways. As long as we live, there will be more to learn as well as opportunities to make progress. As you strive to improve your abilities, do not become discouraged if you cannot do as well as others in some feature of service. Rejoice in what you are able to do and use your gifts well.
7 Jehovah finds pleasure in his servants who are happy and rejoice in doing his will. So let us continue to offer ourselves willingly in his service and find delight in using our gifts to Jehovah’s honor and praise.—Ps. 110:3.