How has your week been? I must confess, it’s been a bit rough in my household. We are craving interactions with non-family members. I found myself looking forward to going to the grocery store with the same level of excitement as going to Disneyland. I’ve spoken to several people who confess the tempers are a bit shorter than normal in their homes as well. If that’s you, take heart and read on.
If you’ve worked with us at Careers you’ve seen the power of our Motivational Gift discussion in action. I love this discussion because it gives language to people about how they view the world. This information is based on Romans 12:6-8 where it says,
“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”
A lot of work has been done to explore these gifts in action. Of course, we like to think about the joy of each gift. We know that
- Prophets love to proclaim the truth as they perceive it
- Servers thrive on taking care of other’s needs
- Teachers strive to verity & explain the truth
- Encouragers positively influence people & events around them
- Givers are passionate about being a wise steward of resources
- Leaders are all about getting results with proven systems
- Mercy’s thrive when they can show kindness to those who are hurting.
But what about the flip side? You know, that dark side that comes out in times of stress and frustration? Did you know that under stress
- Prophets become impulsive and legalistic
- Servers are neat freaks and start feeling inferior
- Teachers (the gift, not the occupation) become know-it-alls
- Encouragers start to gossip and become busybodies
- Givers get stingy and overly conservative
- Leaders get pushy and focus on results rather than people
- Mercy’s withdraw and focus on their anxieties.
These are stressful times. As a Leader/Server I know my pushy-results-oriented-neat-freak self has reared its ugly head more than I’d care to admit. But that’s all part of the package.
If you have taken The Call Report or the MGM, I’d encourage you to pull out your report and reflect on your gifts and actions. If you haven’t and want to learn more about how you view the world, take advantage of our introductory package ($24.50).
Regardless, take joy that you and those around you are wonderfully made. Warts and all!