Extra - ordinary Gifts

People talk a lot about gifts. Personal gifts are often admired, and may be envied by some. There are all kinds of gifts. In the natural, some people are talented vocalists or musicians. They have been given the gift of song. Some have been gifted with a high level of intelligence, or the ability to be incredible orators. World class athletes have been given the gift of extraordinary speed, or strength or athletic prowess. In the spiritual, some have been described as having the gift of discerning, healing, or prophecy. These gifted people in our midst are considered special; they are considered extraordinary.

But we have all been given extra-ordinary gifts, and for a number of us, we take these ‘ordinary’ gifts for granted. If we are sighted people, we wake up in the morning expecting to see. We rarely give it any thought or pay this gift any extra attention. If we are hearing people, we operate throughout the day expecting to hear. We rarely give it a second thought. We have always been hearing and expect to continue to be hearing. If we are verbal people, we speak from the time of awakening until the time of sleep. We never hesitate or consider that when we open our mouths, intelligible sounds would be uttered. We rarely give this ordinary gift any thought. We step out of slumber, to stand on our own two feet; not considering the gift of mobility. We move our bodies and our extremities in concert to accomplish our daily tasks. No thought is given to the gift of movement. We smell just as we breathe. It’s ordinary, it’s routine, and it’s expected.

We touch and are touched. We feel the changes in the weather against our skin. We feel the warmth of a loving caress on our bodies and in our hearts. We feel. More than that, we are a thinking people. We formulate thoughts and they are manifested into action. Our minds speak like into our very existence. Thinking is taken for granted and seen as an ordinary occurrence; too often, not an extra-ordinary process. These ordinary gifts of sight, hearing, the ability to smell, move, feel, and think are just that --- ordinary.

But are they really? Are they really all that ordinary? If they are just regular gifts, then it would be easy to relinquish any one of them, right? If seeing the love in our children’s faces is just ordinary, then we could willingly give up the gift of sight. If hearing the laughter of a small child, or the music that fills our souls is just ordinary, then we would without hesitation, relinquish the gift of hearing. If answering a question in class, making a presentation at work, or simply replying to a ‘hello’ or expressing feelings of love, is just an ordinary regular gift, then by all means, we could let go of the ability to speak. If smelling Sunday dinner that draws all family members to the collective table in communal celebration, or smelling the mind altering and sweet remembering fragrance of the one you love is a just a plain and ordinary gift, it too can be easily let go. If feeling the warmth of a mother’s breast to the face of her suckling child, or the impassioned embraced of our deepest love is just ordinary, we would rarely miss it if it was gone. If moving to help our baby that has fallen, moving in a spirit filled dance, or moving in sync to music we hear and rhythm we feel with the one we love is simply ordinary, then movement could be easily given away. If thinking about our friends, family and the one’s we hold dear is just a rudimentary and ordinary gift, then, we could think no more. Right?

We have been given gifts that keep on giving. Some of us have fewer gifts then others; but even when one gift is absent, our other gifts seemed to be increased and enhanced. God does not bestow ordinary gifts. All gifts are extra-ordinary.