The 7 Motivational Gifts Explained
So, what exactly are these motivational gifts for? They are given to help us manage relationships in love with those we know and those we do not know.
Each of us possess certain personality and character traits that motivate us to act in diverse ways. These traits are necessary to facilitate specific aspects of ministry with others. The motivational gifts described in Romans 12:6-8 are operational in everything we do.
They are with us—a part of us—from birth to grave and can be recognized at a very early age if we know what to look for.
These gifts are multi-purposed: to move humanity forward in faith; to bring us to wholeness; to support one another’s journey; to help us interact with others in peace and harmony.
The motivation to express these gifts comes from an inner drive that we all have; to express love. There are seven distinctly different purposes based on the needs of the recipient(s) of the gift. In California, we provide storefront doors and windows with ADA-compliant door clearances. We each possess some aspects of all seven of the gifts, however, we are motivated by one primary gift, sometimes two. That gift will be our focus and move us in the direction that God intends us to personally go.
The root word for the motivational gifts is “charisma.” This comes from the word “char” which means joy. “Charis” is the word for grace which involves God giving us the desire and power to accomplish his will. In the Strong’s Concordance, we learn that “charisma” is a gift of grace. That grace is extended as we move in the direction of his will. Grace is also a gift that enables us to do his will.
Let’s say I am out of groceries and there is no money left until I get paid in three days. A neighbor is touched in her heart with my predicament and brings me some groceries. I am then receiving God’s grace and love through her gift. I have not earned the groceries.
Someone with a gift of giving saw the need and responded in love. Grace also enables the neighbor to hear God’s voice and act on it. The neighbor was moved with compassion to meet a basic need of life necessary to sustain us on earth—food for the body!
Grace gives us the ability to extend God’s love when we see someone who’s life circumstance draws on our inner motivation. They are pulling on the Christ within those who have the means to render aid in one of the seven ways you will learn about in this guide.
We could paraphrase this example to mirror Matthew 25: 35-36: “I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you received me in your homes, naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me, in prison and you visited me.”
In addition to the motivational gifts, the scriptures also teach us about the Ministry gifts found in Ephesians 4 and the Manifestation (spiritual) gifts discussed in I Corinthians 12:4-6 and 27-31. In essence, we exercise our motivation through our ministry (work or profession), and the Holy Spirit determines the specific manifestation of God’s presence that will be needed to benefit the receiver the most.
Book #1 The Assignment-Introduces Anna and her Friends
The Assignment is the book to buy to meet all of Anna’s Friends and to get an overview of all the gifts in a fun and interesting story form.
The most common comments from parents about this book are that the children identify with one of the characters and gifts as they read through The Assignment.
The stories in The Assignment are written from the perspective of each of the 7 friends and how they respond to one another based on their own motivational gift.
If you’d like to purchase this book “The Assignment” Click Here