For weeks, we have been looking at Gifts of the Spirit, God’s way of helping us through life. Today we have three more: Knowledge, Speaking in Public, and Helps.

Knowledge is that gift God gives certain people to clarify God’s truths and share them with others to build up the Body of Christ. Holy Scripture gives us numerous examples where someone was given a special word to speak to the people of God. The apostle Paul tells us: “I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”

The gift of Speaking in Public isn’t the same as public speaking. It’s the ability to speak only words that will work for good. Remember your mother saying, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all?” Well, God and your mother are working together here! Would that all God’s people have such a gift!

And today’s final gift is the Gift of Helps. In Greek, this means “a timely act of rescue.” The gift of Helps is that special ability that God gives to some to invest the time and talents in another person. This gift helps another person see themselves through the eyes of God, helping another become all that they can be. Joshua was one such person to Moses, helping Moses do the work God had given him.

Three more gifts for you to ponder…might God be offering you one of them?

About the author:  Rev. Elizabeth L. Nelson is  the priest at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in LaBelle.