“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
- 1 Peter 4:10
I’ve noticed something about my human.
He spends a fair amount of time talking to people.
Sometimes from behind a desk.
Sometimes from behind a pulpit.
Sometimes over a cup of coffee.
And sometimes he sits there tapping on that little glowing rectangle while I patiently wait for him to realize there are far more important things in life.
Like throwing the ball.
The other day I heard him talking about our “platform.”
I looked around.
Porch? Check.
Steps? Check.
Rocking chair? Check.
Platform?
I didn’t see one.
But the more I listened, the more I realized he wasn’t talking about something you stand on.
He was talking about something you stand for.
See, everybody has been given something.
Maybe you can teach.
Maybe you can sing.
Maybe you can lead.
Maybe you can build things, fix things, write things, organize things, encourage people, make folks laugh, cook a meal, run a business, raise a family, or simply sit beside somebody who’s hurting and listen.
Me?
I’m pretty good at retrieving tennis balls, greeting strangers, detecting unattended sandwiches, and reminding my human when it’s time to stop working.
We’ve all got gifts.
The question isn’t whether we have a platform.
The question is what we’re doing with the one we’ve been given.
My human says God didn’t give us our abilities just so people would notice us.
He gave them so people might notice Jesus.
That changes things.
Your job can be a platform.
Your family can be a platform.
Your church, your neighborhood, your friendships, your social media, your business, your kitchen table—even the hard places you’ve walked through—can become places where God uses your story to point somebody toward Jesus.
You don’t need a microphone.
You don’t need a stage.
You don’t need thousands of followers.
You just need to be faithful with what’s already in your paws.
Well…
Hands.
Use what God gave you.
Use it where He planted you.
Use it to serve somebody.
Use it to encourage somebody.
Use it to tell somebody about Jesus.
Because one day we’ll answer for what we did with the gifts, opportunities, influence, and platform we were given.
And I’m beginning to think the best platform isn’t the biggest one.
It’s the one where Jesus can be seen clearly.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a tennis ball, a backyard, and a human who apparently needs reminding that ministry comes in many forms.
And sometimes…
it looks a whole lot like fetch.
Use your platform.
Use your gifts.
Point people to Jesus.
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
