I was recently reminded of a gift that God gave me years ago. It was a trumpet - not a real one but a spiritual one. I've wondered about this for some time. You have probably heard of the expression 'blow your own trumpet' and it usually means someone is boasting. Well if God gives you a trumpet and he wants you to blow your own trumpet isn't that a contradiction?!
In the Old Testament of the Bible it is written that The Lord blew his own trumpet way back during the Bronze Age. There was a massive shaking and fanfare that took place. Even the mountain shook. The people of the surrounding nations must have heard it miles away. He got away with it - now was he boasting?! (Maybe he was!) I think not, He was demonstrating his power and glory! He can't help but be who he is. (Read about it in the second book of the Bible Exodus chapter 19).
Jesus and the Apostle Paul speak about boasting. Jesus in Matthew chapter 6:1-4 tells us how to give without showing off. In the first chapter of 1 Corinthians 1.31 Paul exhorts us to boast only in the Lord. Later in 2 Corinthians 10:17-18 Paul says 'As the scriptures says if you want to boast, boast only about the Lord. When people commend themselves it doesn't count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them'.
So with my trumpet which is the gift that He has given me I want to invite you to take a look at my website: connect3ways.co.uk (Da da! - see what I did there!) I want this website to praise and glorify God. I haven't really advertised it much to people as I have been concerned about being boastful. Yet today I was 'hit' by my gift figuratively speaking, it's saying to me I can blow my own trumpet for Jesus. The trumpet was given to me. It's something that needs to be used to make a sound.
If God gives you the gift of a trumpet don't just leave it in a box unopened. If he gives you something you're good at and you're not doing that thing or using it it won't bless others or glorify him. If there's something in your life that makes this hard we do what we can. He understands that and is able to work through us even when we are weak or not working properly.
Sometimes we don't recognise our gifts and it takes others to point them out.
Our speaker at church said a couple of weeks ago, gifts are for serving. They also reflect who gives them and show something of who God is, especially if it's from him. My trumpet reflects something of who God is. There's more I want to write and share about the trumpet but that's for another time.