“For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Tim. 1:6-7).
Timothy had a gift of God within him through the laying on of Paul’s hands. While the laying on of hands can refer to the setting apart or appointing of one to a specific work, such as in Acts 13:1-3 or 1 Tim. 4:14, it can also refer to the imparting of miraculous, spiritual gifts by the apostles to other Christians, an ability only the apostles had power by the Holy Spirit to do (Acts 8:18). Since the gift was in Timothy through or by the laying on of Paul’s hands, we would understand it to be a miraculous gift. It is noteworthy that the word translated gift is also used for non-miraculous, natural gifts. Both miraculous and non-miraculous are in Rom. 12:6-8 and are described as gifts.
What’s the instruction given Timothy? Stir up or kindle afresh the gift. While we do not possess the miraculous today, can there be a lesson for us in this?
God has blessed each of us with many natural gifts or abilities. One may have a special ability of encouraging words, another may have the ability to lead others, while another may have a gift of teaching ability. There was a brother I knew whom I never recall teaching or preaching, but he was the first to the building and stood at the door, opening it for each individual and greeting each individual who came. Psalm 84:10 was the keynote of the message at his funeral: “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand. I’d rather be a doorkeeper in the house of My God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.”
Our abilities are both God-given and developed further through effort on our part. “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Pet. 4:10-11).
Our abilities to serve in the kingdom must not be neglected but must be used. In the parable of the talents, each man was given talents – monetary units of currency – according to his own ability (Matt. 25:14-30). With ability came responsibility, and with responsibility came accountability to the giver of it all. God was well-pleased with those who were faithful in the use of the talents given them; they were rewarded. The one who did nothing with his talents was condemned.
If we are not careful, we may neglect our abilities and allow them to go dormant or even be lost. God will not be pleased.
Paul instructed Timothy to kindle afresh the gift of God within him. In like manner, we too need to take the initiative to stir up within us whatever natural abilities we have and use them and grow them in the service of our Master. We must not wait for someone else to do something, for some feeling to come upon us, or for some experience to move us. We ourselves must take the initiative to decide and determine to use and to grow what we have and then do it with power, love, and discipline.
What gifts from God – what abilities – do you possess? There are none too small to be
discounted. Kindle afresh the gifts from
God that are within you. -Larry Jones