Last weekend, I attended the celebration of life ceremony for my cousin, who was killed in a tragic car accident. It was hard. Sad. Heavy. And yet, somehow, beautiful. As people stood up one after another to speak, I noticed something that stayed with me long after the ceremony ended. Everyone talked about him differently—but no one contradicted the other. My cousin embraced his gift in his short 54 years on this earth.
To some, he was the chef. The one whose food brought people together and made them feel at home. To others, he was the drummer—the one who could get people on their feet and lost in the rhythm. Some knew him as the IT guy who always knew how to fix things. To some, he was the sculptor, the jewelry maker, the artist who created beauty with his hands. Many more knew him as the photographer who brought moments to life. Yet, to some, he was the traveler who showed them places they might never have seen.
However, to me, he was the cousin who brought all of us together. No matter how far apart life took us, he stayed connected. He always showed up.
I learned that wherever he went—Home Depot, Lowe’s, IKEA—the sales associates knew him by his first name. He had that kind of personality. He connected easily. I remember thinking to myself, he would have made a great politician.
Sitting there, listening to all these stories, I was comforted by the fact that, although he died young, he lived a full life. He used what he had and embraced his gifts.
What Is Your Gift?
Your gift, or your talent, is something that comes naturally to you. It’s what you do well with less strain than most people. That doesn’t mean it requires no effort, but it doesn’t feel like you’re constantly swimming upstream.
Everyone has a gift, but not everyone has discovered theirs yet. Certain gifts show up for a specific chapter of your life, while others evolve and grow with you over time. Some gifts, like singing, dancing, and acting, are apparent and easy to recognize. A few minutes on social media will show you plenty of people using those gifts well. Other gifts—like encouraging and supporting others—are quieter, but no less powerful.
Why You Should Embrace Your Gift
You were given your gift for a reason. The Bible story of the stewards—often called the Parable of the Talents—illustrates this perfectly. One steward received ten talents, another five, and another one. Not because one person mattered more—but because each person had a different capacity. The issue wasn’t how much they were given but what they did with it.
Romans 12:8 puts it plainly:
If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
In other words, use what you’ve been given.
A Lesson I Had to Learn – Stay in Your Lane
I shared this story in The Empowered Introvert, but it fits perfectly here. I was once a foundational member of a new church—about three or four families total. Because there weren’t enough people, they appointed me as the choir leader.
Let me be honest. I cannot sing. I led that choir for two weeks, and it was bad. Really bad. The members cringed. And I cringed. By the third week, I gathered the courage to step down. And honestly? It was one of the most freeing decisions I’ve ever made.
That experience convinced me that pretending to be gifted at something you’re not can be very stressful and exhausting. In my defense, though, I was appointed and would have never volunteered to sing because singing is not something I could ever even pretend to be good at.
Yes, you can improve at many things. But you will almost always do better—and feel better—when you develop your natural gifts and talents. That’s why embracing your gift matters.
When do you need to Embrace Your Gifts?
Timing does matter. Your gift isn’t just about what you do. It’s also about when you do it. Encouragement matters most when someone needs it most. Kindness matters most when you choose to offer it in the moment. You don’t always know when someone will need your gifts, so they need to be ready and sharpened. Unused gifts don’t stay neutral. They fade. Therefore, you must embrace your gifts at all times!
Your Gift Was Never Meant Just for You
One of the most powerful lessons I learned from watching my cousin’s life celebrated is this: your gift was never meant to end with you. His gifts fed people. They moved people. They encouraged people. His gifts connected people in ways that outlasted him.
Your gift works the same way. When you sing, you are lifting someone else. Encouraging others means you are giving them strength. When you build or create, someone else benefits. Gifts should flow through you, not stop with you.
Of course, using your gift takes effort. You have to discover it, practice it, and nurture it. You don’t become an accomplished pianist, or a master chef, a skilled leader, or a compassionate friend overnight. Gifts should grow. And like anything else in life, what you nurture grows, while what you ignore fades.
And here’s the beautiful part: sharing your gift will cause it to multiply. The more you give, the more life, impact, and joy you create for others and for yourself.
Proverbs 11:24 says it perfectly:
“Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.”
The purpose of your gift is to bless others, to make a difference, and to leave a legacy. Let it flow.
Final Thoughts
Last weekend reminded me of something simple but important. A meaningful life isn’t measured by how long we live but by how we show up. The greatest gift we’ve all been given is life. And we all have that gift for a limited amount of time.
My cousin’s life left me with a question that keeps coming back to me. I found myself asking, “What am I doing with the gifts God placed in my hands? Not the ones I plan to use later. Not the ones I talk myself out of. But the ones I can offer right now, in this season of my life.
And now I’m asking you the same question: What are you doing with your gift?
As you reflect, ask yourself how you can use your gifts, not for applause or recognition, but to serve and honor others while you’re here.
If this resonated with you, feel free to share it with someone who might need the reminder.
Yours in health, fitness, and wellness,
Dr. Abi