Power-filled Positive Thinking-Chapter 15A-Understanding those with the Gift of Service
It was late September 2000 when I was finally heading to St. Louis for a total colectomy. It had been a long road of high dose steroids and medical management of my ulcerative colitis with no relief of symptoms in sight. Indeed, now I had all the side effects of the steroids from the moon face, the buffalo hump, a full beard, and severe weakness from the muscle wasting in the legs. I had waited until fall when both my sons would be gone away to school—Ron in New Jersey and Alberto at Missouri University. They had watched me through the chemotherapy and as I battled the ulcerative colitis; although, I tried to shelter them as much as I could from the truth of what I was experiencing. I knew I would have an ileostomy for 6 to 8 weeks and wasn’t looking forward to it. I parked my car and carefully wrote down the exact location. The tickets were bought and in 6 days, Melissa would fly in and take a taxi to the hospital. She was going to arrive as precisely as I could determine the day I should be released to go home. She was coming to drive me home and to be my companion over the first two weeks after I was discharged. Which brings me to the motivational gift of service which is definitely the primary motivational gift that my daughter has.
Those who have the gift of service as their primary motivational gift are very sensitive to the desires, likes and dislikes of those around them. They desire to give of themselves tirelessly in an attempt to help meet the needs of others, even to the extent of disregarding their own personal health and personal comfort. They gain great pleasure in seeing that they have made someone else’s life easier.
It is important for them to receive gratitude and positive feedback in return, because they very much need to realize that what they are doing has made a difference. They are always looking for ways to serve and love to be around people. There are times when they can be easily side tracked because they may suddenly see another need which appears to be more urgent so they run off to the greater need before completing the first task.
Their major characteristics when working out of the love of the Holy Spirit filling them are: Sensitive to seeing needs, Graciousness, joyfulness, flexible, generous, available, and diligent. However, when these same great servants can become quite the opposite when they get weighed down by the flesh. In fact, they can become isolated, stingy, selfish, bitter, and filled with self-pity. In the Bible, one person who best exemplified service as their primary motivational gift would be Timothy. If this is your primary motivational gift, be careful not to so overextend yourself that you become exhausted—at which point you may find that you begin to work more out of the flesh than the spirit. It is important that you recognize your own need to rest, to rejuvenate, and to be alone with God so as to be able to continue to serve. In other words, don’t allow yourself to burn out. If, on the other hand this is not your primary motivational gift; yet, there is someone in your family who does have this gift—be aware of this. Let them know how much you appreciate them and all that they do. Allow them to serve, while at the same time coming alongside them to lighten the load. Always be aware of their need to be appreciated for their sacrificial giving spirit of service.
My hope is that as we go through the various motivational gifts you will begin to recognize your own gift and hence understand why you respond in perhaps a different manner than your spouse or another member of the family. Understanding the motivational gifts is powerful. It helps us to respond to others in the family as well as people at work, people at church and with our friends. Knowing the unique differences of each of the motivational gifts helps us to live harmoniously. When we recognize that we need each other to be able to stand strong. I need someone with the gift of leadership to put me back on track sometimes. I need someone with the black and white justice that those with the gift of prophecy have to speak with clarity and un-jumble my brain at times. Most definitely, I need someone with the gift of financial savvy to guide me. We all need someone who has the gift of service to come along side us to comfort us at times. In Christ we have all the power we need to victoriously and joyously walk this pilgrimage journey; but, until we acknowledge and proclaim that truth we remain in a state of sorrow filled defeat. In Christ, we are provided also with a family filled with all the diverse motivational gifts so that we might harmoniously, lovingly stand firm in the faith and truth of God.
“when we take your gifts to those who need them they will break out into thanksgiving and praise to God for your help. 12 So two good things happen as a result of your gifts—those in need are helped, and they overflow with thanks to God. 13 Those you help will be glad not only because of your generous gifts to themselves and to others, but they will praise God for this proof that your deeds are as good as your doctrine” 2 Corinthians 9:11-13 (TLB)
Listen to Come People of the Living King by Keith and Kristyn Getty
Living Bible (TLB)
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
©2015 Effie Darlene Barba
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