Mike Parsons –
Our redemptive gift is the particular way we are wired that enables us to engage effectively in restoring creation. God intends us to be involved in that restoration as sons and co-creators with Jesus.
[I am reading from my book Into the Dark Cloud]
My redemptive gift is prophet/teacher. When I look at the world, I am looking to see how things work. In every situation I want to understand how it has come about and what has occurred. What can I learn? How can I explain that? What is behind that event?
As a child, I was always inquisitive and loved taking things apart to discover how they worked. Of course, at five or six years old, I couldn’t put most of them back together again. My mum was always pulling her hair out:
“You’ve broken it.”
“I wanted to see how it worked.”
“Well, now it doesn’t work at all!”
Later, when I discovered movies, I was always drawn to tales of quests and adventures of discovery, because that is how I am made.
Our redemptive gift shapes the way we see and interact with the world,
and therefore helps to determine the course of our lives. I may see things one way: someone else will experience the same situation or event and consider it through the lens of their own redemptive gift.
Jesus is the fullness of all the redemptive gifts, and we would all say we desire to become more Christ-like. In that case, we may sometimes feel limited or defined by our redemptive gift, but that is just our soul’s natural thinking.
As we become conformed to His image, we will demonstrate more of the gifts; but initially each of us has a primary and a secondary gift, shaping how we think, feel, and act by default. We did not have to learn it; it is just how we are. This gift is put into us at conception, into our soul. When Adam became a living being or a living soul, he was created with a redemptive gift.
All of us are creative in some way, whether we recognise it or not, since we are all made in God’s image. Some will express creativity in art, poetry or music, some in science, industry, commerce or other ways. That creativity within us derives from the image of God in us – but ultimately, He wants us to be doing the things that Jesus did (and greater ones).
Key takeaway
Jesus is the fullness of all the redemptive gifts; as we become increasingly conformed to His image, we will demonstrate more of the gifts.
Mike’s latest book, Into the Dark Cloud is now out in print, and can be ordered from all good booksellers worldwide, and amazon. Or you can get the ebook delivered instantly right now!
Sons of Issachar 