“Let your life be a stepping stone to Christ and not a stumbling block.” 1 Cor. 8:13 & 10:31
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify God who is in heaven.” Matt. 5:16
We All Were Created To Serve Others
By Dr. Rick Warren
God formed every creature on this planet with a special area of expertise. How do we know this? In the Old Testament of the Bible, we are told, “Your hands shaped me and made me” (Job 10:8). Some animals run, some hop, some swim, some burrow, and some fly. They all have a particular role to play, based on how they were shaped by God. The same is true with humans. Each of us was uniquely designed, or “shaped” to do certain things.
Before architects design any new building they first ask, “What will be its purpose? How will it be used?” The intended function always determines the form of the building. Form follows function, as they say.
Before God created you, He decided what role He wanted you to play on earth. He planned exactly how He wanted you to serve Him, and then He shaped you for those tasks. You are the way you are because you were made for a specific purpose, whether in the workplace, your home, or your community.
The Bible also says, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Ephesians 2:10). The English word “poem” comes from this Greek word which is translated, “workmanship.” You are God’s handcrafted work of art. You are not an assembly-line product, mass-produced without thought. You are custom-designed, a one-of-a kind, original masterpiece.
God deliberately shaped and formed you to serve Him in a way that makes your work – and service to others – unique. He carefully combined your genes, the DNA recipe that formed you. David praised God for this incredible personal attention to detail that God gave in designing each of us: “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous” (Psalm 139:13-14).
Not only did God shape you before your birth, but He also planned every day of your life to support His shaping process. David continues, “Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed” (Psalm 139:16, NLT).
This means nothing that occurs in your life is insignificant. God uses all of it to mold you for your ministry to others, and shape you for your service to Him.
God never wastes anything. He would not give you abilities, interests, talents, gifts, personality, and life experiences unless He intended to use them for His glory. By identifying and understanding these factors, you can discover God’s will for your life.
The Bible says you are “wonderfully complex.” You are a combination of many different factors: “The people I have shaped for myself will broadcast my praises” (Isaiah 43:21).
Rick Warren is author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life and The Purpose Driven Church, which was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th Century.