Before Otto Octavius became a villain, he was a top-notch research scientist, specializing in atomic radiation and nuclear energy. He was, perhaps, even smarter than a rocket scientist. He was a brilliant thinker, but he knew the proper use of intelligence.
“Intelligence is a gift,” Octavius told Peter Parker, “and you use it for the good of mankind.”
Some of us have been better endowed with the gift of intelligence than others. Neither of your humble authors claims to be the sharpest knife in the drawer. Yet it does not matter how much or how little intelligence we have been given; we are to use what we have for others, not just ourselves.
That goes for any gift we have been given. The apostle Paul gave us a list of some of the gifts that are given by God to His followers. We can find his list in Romans 12:6-8 and in 1 Corinthians 12:8-11. They include:
• Preaching
• Being helpful
• Teaching
• Encouraging words
• Leadership
• Giving aid to those in distress
• Working with the disadvantaged
• Wise counsel
• Clear understanding
• Simple trust
• Healing the sick
• Miraculous acts
• Proclamation
• Distinguishing between spirits (THE MESSAGE)
We read that God decides who gets which gift and in what amount. So the first thing we need to understand about these gifts is that we cannot brag about which ones we have, or how much of them we have been given. We did not earn these—that is why they are called “gifts.” If you have the gift of doing the miraculous, that does not mean you are better (or worse) than someone who is gifted in being helpful. Spiritual gifts are handed out by God in His way and in His measure.
The second thing to note about spiritual gifts is that we do not receive them to use for our own benefit. Remember what Otto Octavius says: “Intelligence is a gift, and you use it for the good of mankind.”
The spiritual gifts we receive are to be used for the expansion of the kingdom of God. Paul wrote to the church at Rome these words about using their spiritual gifts:
If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don’t take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get bossy; if you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate; if you’re called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them (Romans 12:6-8, THE MESSAGE).
Spiritual gifts, just like Octavius’s gift of intelligence, are to be used for the good of others. When used in the wrong way and
for the wrong reasons, gifts can become dangerous weapons: dangerous to others and ourselves.
Doc Ock uses the gift of intelligence for his own evil purposes. He wounds many others by his actions and ends up at the bottom of a river because of his greed. Just before he dies, though, he cries, “I will not die a monster!” He uses his gift one last time to destroy the ball of atomic energy threatening to destroy the city. At the end, he once again uses what was given to him for the good of mankind.
You have been given gifts by God, gifts unique to you. Two questions need to be answered:
1. What are your unique gifts?
2. Are you using them for the good of others?
To answer the first question, ask your pastor or youth leader if they have a test or guide that can show you what your gifts are. There are a number of excellent resources available for this, and most churches have access to one or more for you to use.
Once you have identified your gifts, it is time to get to work.
The best place to start is in prayer. Thank God for the gifts He has given you. (Remember, these are gifts. You did not earn them, and you cannot swap them for something else.) Ask God to open doors for you to use these spiritual gifts in a way that will help others. Working alongside the Creator is the most fun you can have. And as you put your specially given abilities to work in your faith community, you will be filling a gap that only you, with your unique gifts, can fill.