Cherry Pie

A few weekends ago we had fun in services studying about our Gift-Mixes. I told the following story to illustrate how our unique responses to people's needs can highlight our God-given giftings:

Your friend, Janie, throws a small party for 10 of her friends. In her excitement (or hunger) to serve the cherry pie she had made, she spills it all over the place.

Friend #1 jumps up and rallies some people to get the cleaning supplies, others to find the mop and bucket, and someone else to help Janie find her Tide-to-Go so that the stain won't stick. She's a Leader / Champion. Gifted at mobilizing and rallying, but sometimes forgets that she's not in charge.

Friend #2 starts talking about how apple pie is a clearly superior pie to cherry. There's no risk of stains, there's no artificial coloring, and really, the whole world would be better off if they converted to apple pie. He's an Evangelist. Gifted with motivating and convincing communication, but sometimes lacks tact.

Friend #3 immediately bursts into tears and begins consoling her friend. Feeling Janie's embarrassment as if it were her own, she experiences a deep empathy with her friend. She's a Mercy-Shower. Gifted at identifying with people, but sometimes finds it difficult to help others make progress.

Friend #4 insists that Janie take his piece of pie. He saw her excitement (or hunger) as she was serving the pie, and is determined to make sure she's taken care of. He's a Giver. Gifted at helping other's ideas come to life, but sometimes forgets to allow others to help him with his own needs.

Friend #5 isn't actually there. She was invited and came to the party for a little while (for the BBQ portion *smile*), but had to get up and go before the dessert was served. Moving quickly, she's exploring new ideas and making new connections. She's an Apostle. Gifted at charting unknown territory, but sometimes lacks sensitivity.

Friend #6 pipes in, "I had a feeling something like that was going to happen!" With a heart attuned to the underlying significance behind various circumstances, he's deeply moved to understand what God is saying in the moment. He's a Prophet. Gifted at sensing, discerning, and interpreting, but sometimes lacks flexibility.

Friend #7 dumps her own pie in her lap and then starts chanting, "Food fight! Food fight!" She doesn't really care much whether it's clean or messy, so long as we're all together and we're all having fun. She's a Pastor. Gifting at gathering people to see them flourish, but has difficulty letting people go.

Friend #8 chimes in, "I remember when I spilled pie..." He has a story for everything and encouraging advice for every dilemma. He's an Exhorter. Gifted at helping others with immediate direction, but sometimes lacks depth.

Friend #9 proclaims, "There's a better way to eat pie! I've researched it and summarized it in 10 easy steps!" She's a Teacher. Gifted at helping people integrate truth into their lives, but sometimes lacks grace.

And Friend #10 cleaned up the mess while everybody else was talking. He's a Servant. He finds deep joy in taking care of anything that needs doing. Gifted at facilitating others' vision, but sometimes struggles to be purposeful for himself.

Have fun finding yourself, your friends, and your kids in these examples...