4 Moses said to the whole Israelite community, “This is what the Lord has commanded: 5 From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering of gold, silver and bronze; 6 blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; 7 ram skins dyed red and another type of durable leather; acacia wood; 8 olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; 9 and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.
10 “All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded: 11 the tabernacle with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; 12 the ark with its poles and the atonement cover and the curtain that shields it; 13 the table with its poles and all its articles and the bread of the Presence; 14 the lampstand that is for light with its accessories, lamps and oil for the light; 15 the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense; the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle; 16 the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the bronze basin with its stand; 17 the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; 18 the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, and their ropes; 19 the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary—both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests.”
20 Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence, 21 and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. 22 All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the Lord. 23 Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or the other durable leather brought them. 24 Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. 25 Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun—blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. 26 And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. 27 The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. 28 They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. 29 All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the Lord freewill offerings for all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do. Exodus 35:4-29
The people seemed eager to pitch in to do this work on the tabernacle. They were using their God-given skills the way He intended them to use them. Everyone was skilled differently but it was like a tapestry being woven together. One person’s work was great, but a multitude of people working for the same goal made an outstanding finished product.
Did they know how it all came together in the end? Did it matter to them? Probably not in both instances.
Have you ever met someone who is absolutely content working in a factory eight hours a day, five days a week? They just want to collect their paycheck and enjoy their lives.
Have you ever met someone who goes from job to job, not because they’re not skilled but because they get easily bored doing the same thing every day?
We’ve all met each of these two people. In fact, as you read this, you have already decided which side of the spectrum you lean toward. If we were all one type, this would be a boring world.
But because we’re all different, God can use those differences to His glory.
As we near the end of the coronavirus shutdown, consider the gifts and talents you have. Are they being used to the full potential? Probably not because life gets in the way. Encourage someone who has a talent to use it more for His glory.
When we finally come out of this shutdown, the Church will need creative, hard-working, and talented individuals more than ever. The Church we knew at the beginning of March 2020 will be vastly different than the Church in June 2020. What it will look like in March 2021 is anybody’s guess.
Fasten your seat belts (woven of course by the Israelite women with fine linen and goat hair); life is about to get interesting.