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b'Curling up with a gripping read is something I love to do, and I\\u2019m blessed to regularly receive novels from family or friends so that I rarely have to buy one. For ages, after reading them, I would keep these precious books on shelves or in boxes in the loft\\u2026until I realized that I would never have time to reread them. Holding on to all these books without passing them on felt selfish; I was allowing them to gather dust instead of letting someone else delight in them.\\nKnowing the novels were far better off with a new reader, I started giving them to friends, passing them on to charity shops, or leaving them in designated bookcases in train stations for commuters to enjoy. At first it was difficult to give them away, but now it\\u2019s second nature. And instead of looking back at the books I have read, I anticipate my next read.\\nIn a similar way, God entrusts us with gifts and talents to share with others. Sometimes we may be afraid to allow other people to see our gifts, and so we hide them away, but that isn\\u2019t what God intended. He doesn\\u2019t want our talents to become dusty and forgotten. Instead, like the books I have, they should be shared to help others and give them joy.\\nGod has given each of us gifts and talents, some we might not even recognize. And to Christians, Jesus also gives spiritual gifts. Even though we may be scared to share what God has given us, we can rely on the Holy Spirit (who lives in us once we\\u2019ve put our trust in Jesus) to help us. As we share the light of Jesus, we can trust in Him to reach out to the broken and lost through us. \\u2022 Cindy Lee\\n\\u2022 Take a moment to reflect and thank God for your gifts. If you are unsure what they are, who is a trusted Christian in your life who could pray with you and tell you what they notice God doing in and through you? How could you share your gifts with others? \\n\\u2022 Are you afraid to use any of your gifts? Why? \\n\\u2022 In Jesus\\u2019s parable, why do you think the master (who represents God) said to his first two servants, \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Come and share your master\\u2019s happiness\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d (Matthew 25:21, 23)? \\n\\u2022 Consider taking a moment to reflect on how others have shared their gifts with you and to thank God for the impact they\\u2019ve had on your life. You could even thank this person and encourage them!\\nEach of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God\\u2019s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nMatt.5.1-Matt.5.12|Eph.2.4-Eph.2.5'