1 Peter 4:10a
Each one whould use whatever gift he has received to serve others...

Today all over the world children are waking up to a pile of toys they got yesterday and, for the first time, are starting to really play with them. Christmas Day is always such a rush at our house, and so the day after is when we get down to the business of really investigating the loot! As I type this Will is playing with a virtual Spiderman game on the TV and Sydney is watching him. Parker is still sleeping, but once he wakes up he and I will join Will in a battle between a tank, a fighter jet and a Black Hawk Apache helicopter. Yeah, it's gonna be a great day.

Here's a pretty deep spiritual truth that I'll experience today: even though I love watching my children open gifts, watching them play with them gives me even greater joy. I love watching Will's face crinkle as he concentrates on the perfect karate kick that will defeat the bad guys on the screen. I could sit for hours and watch Sydney play with her new dollhouse or dress up her new Teddy Bear. I will get so much fun out of playing Parker today in the River Bridge game that he had wanted so badly. And our heavenly Father is the same.

Sure, He loves to give us gifts. There are loads of verses about that in the Bible. But His real joy comes in watching us use them. According to the passage above, if you use your gifts you can actually give grace to others. There's just something about watching someone really enjoy what they're good at that makes the rest of us relax, smile and enjoy watching. Kind of like it was when we'd watch MJ play basketball. You kind of lose yourself in watching the gift be used with excellence.

So use your gifts today with passion, excellence and enthusiasm. Let God - and others - watch you enjoy the gifts He's given you and spread grace to everyone that sees.

And while you're at it, kick a few bad guys, too!