the currency of giftedness

Many people want to know a thing or two about their gifts. I am frequently asked, "How can I know my spiritual gift?" My response is frequently this, "Knowing your giftedness is not the most important thing, using it is." For many years I believed that because I knew my gift I was all set. I understood my gift, and I was teaching on Sundays so I was all good.

Over time, however, I learned that my gift and its outworking is only a small part of what I am called to do. My gift has lead me to a place where I am able to speak to people who occasionally with listen to a thing or two. I think if I was content with that, few would raise an eyebrow. But there is more at stake. What am I doing with that influence that God has given me outside of Sunday morning. I have currency, how am I spending it?

My favorite preacher taught me a thing or two about this. His name is Bono. Anytime he makes a television appearance I am inundated with calls and questions from people. Everyone wants to know if I saw him or if I watched the show. So of course, last night Bono stopped by American Idol, the show that is a phenomenon of sorts, making a star out of relatively anonymous people. I was asked, “Did you see Bono?” “Did you know Bono is on channel 5?!?”

It is no secret that I admire Bono, perhaps more than most. To be honest he is one of my heroes of the faith along with Johnny Cash. I like both of these guys because they are refreshingly unashamed of who they are (or were). They do not try to pretend to be righteous or perfect. They do not pontificate about what they think, they simply do what they believe in.

My reason for really admiring Bono is only moderately because of his music. It is more his understanding of living that attracts me. In a recent interview Bono said,

“To wake with a melody, and follow through with it and hear it on the radio in Japan or Birmingham, Alabama is a gift.”

This gift that Bono possesses is not where he stops. He could simply be a rock star, and few would raise an eyebrow. This however is not where he stops. He continued,

“Why a film star or rock star, why would they be more important than a nurse or fireman or a mother? It’s currency. I want to spend mine, working for the world’s poor.”

He then said,

“The church has been historically behind the curve, between racism and Apartheid ... I think the church is afraid of politics. I understand why the church is that way, but we’re not talking about partisan politics. The second thing is that the church has been very judgmental about AIDS. Christ won’t let the church walk away from the AIDS emergency. This is the essence of the scriptures, it’s the leprosy of our age.”

Bono has taught me that understanding one’s gift is the first step of a long journey. His gift is music. Through it he has achieved a fame that few, have ever possessed. This way of thinking has caused me to think long and hard about who I am. I am aware of what my gifts are. But that is only the first step.

So what is yours? What is your currency? How are you spending it?