What do other people think?

Proverbs 15:22 says, Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed. We are not always the best judges of ourselves. We are subjective. We are partial. Sometimes we are far too positive about ourselves. Sometimes we are too negative about ourselves, too critical of ourselves, and undervalue ourselves. That is where the church comes in. That is where the fellowship of believers comes in.

Then in trying to discover your gifts, you have got to ask yourself at some point, what is the assessment of other people? If you are a young person, your first port of call is going to be your father and your mother. They know you better than anybody else in the world. They love you more than anybody else in the world. You need to sit down and talk to them. Mom, Dad, I want to serve God, and then they can talk to you about what they have observed about you—your strengths, your weaknesses, and your capabilities. They can give you good advice. That is what the pastors, the elders, and other mature Christians are there for in the fellowship. Are there gifts that you see in me?

Another question would be: what am I often asked to do? When the church asks me to do something—unless they are being utterly irresponsible—presumably, there is some reason for asking. My name did not come out of a hat at the last session meeting. Presumably, they think that I have come capability to do what they are asking me to do. That is guidance. It is not infallible, but it is guidance. What am I never asked to do? Well, if no Christian has ever asked me to do something, it does not mean that I am not called to do it, but you need to be thinking long and hard before you would say, I think this is my gift. Because if you think it is your gift and nobody else has ever seen it, we have to wonder.

People can be of immense help. I think that more of the people in my congregation undervalue themselves than overvalue themselves. I do not think there is too much overvaluing. I think some of them maybe do not understand how much God has given them, and how much they can do for God.

This helps us. The church helps us. It keeps us from foolish mistakes. At times in my life, young men have come to me and they have said to me, they felt called to the ministry and we have sent out at least twelve or thirteen ministers from here. On other occasions, after talking about it over a period of months, I have said, Well, I really do not think that God is calling you to this avenue of service. In some cases, God has guided them into very, very fruitful other avenues of service which they are made for and enjoy.

Sometimes other believers will encourage us to explore new areas—something you never thought you could do, or were able to do, but your asked and encouraged to do it. And then you may find your gift.¹

Edward Donnelly