Service, Mercy, Giving, & Hospitality

Service/Helps - Those with the gift of service/helps recognize practical needs in the body and joyfully give assistance to meeting those needs. Christians with this gift do not mind working behind the scenes

The spiritual gift of service, or ministering, covers a wide range of activities in its application.  There are two Greek words for this gift.  The first one, found in Romans 12:7, is Diakonia.  The basic meaning of this word is “to wait tables,” but it is most often translated in the Bible as “ministry.”  It refers to any act of service done in genuine love for the edification of the community.  The word Antilepsis is translated “helping” and is found in 1 Corinthians 12:28. It has a similar meaning: to help or aid in love within the community.

The Holy Spirit endows some believers with this gift to fill the many gaps of ministry and meet the needs of the church as it fulfills the Great Commission.  The goal is to energize the church and free up others to use their gifts to the fullest.  The result is the continued edification of the church and the added ability to see beyond its own needs and reach out into the community.

We see people with this gift in passages like Acts 6:1-7, 1 Corinthians 16:15-16, and many others.  Those with the gift of service are committed to the spread of the Gospel.  They serve in ways that benefit others with different gifts and ministries that are more public.  They have a heart devoted to Jesus and a desire to follow His command and example in Matthew 20:25-28 (cf. Mark 10:42-45).  Those with this gift do not seek recognition or a position in the “spotlight,” they just love to help out.  They are content with serving in the background knowing that their contribution will bless the church, display the love of Christ to the world, and bring glory to God.  See also Romans 12:7, 1 Corinthians 12:4-7; 28, Acts 20:35; 2 Timothy 4:11; Revelation 2:19.

1 Corinthians 12:28 “And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.”

Romans 12:7 “if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching;”

Mercy - Cheerful acts of compassion characterize those with the gift of mercy. Persons with this gift aid the body by empathizing with hurting members. They keep the body healthy and unified by keeping others aware of the needs within the church

All Christians are called to be merciful because God has been merciful to us (Matthew 18:33; Ephesians 2:4-6).  The Greek word for the spiritual gift of mercy is Eleeo.  It means to be patient and compassionate toward those who are suffering or afflicted.  The concern for the physical as well as spiritual need of those who are hurting is covered by the gift of mercy.  Those with this gift have great empathy for others in their trials and sufferings.  They are able to come alongside people over extended periods of time and see them through their healing process.  They are truly and literally the hands and feet of God to the afflicted.

The Holy Spirit gives the spiritual gift of mercy to some in the church to love and assist those who are suffering, and walk with them until The Lord allows their burden to be lifted.  The gift of mercy is founded in God’s mercy towards us as sinners and is consistently expressed with measurable compassion.  Those with this gift are able to “weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15) and “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2).  They are sensitive to the feelings and circumstances of others and can quickly discern when someone is not doing well.  They are typically good listeners and feel the need to simply “be there” for others.  See Romans 12:8, Matthew 5:7; Luke 10:30-37; James 3:17; Jude 22-23.

Romans 12:8 “the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”

Giving - Members with the gift of giving give freely and joyfully to the work and mission of the body. Cheerfulness and liberality are characteristics of individuals with this gift

The Greek word for the spiritual gift of giving is Metadidomi.  It simply means “to impart” or “to give.”  However, this word is accompanied in Romans 12:8 by another descriptive word: Haplotes.  This word tells us much more about the kind of giving that is associated with this gift.  The word Haplotes means “sincerely, generously and without pretense or hypocrisy.”

The Holy Spirit imparts this gift to some in the church to meet the various needs of the church and its ministries, missionaries, or of people who do not have the means to provide fully for themselves.  The goal is to encourage and provide, giving all credit to God’s love and provision.  Those with this gift love to share with others the overflow of blessings God has given them.  They are typically very hospitable and will seek out ways and opportunities to help others.  The are also excellent stewards and will often adjust their lifestyles in order to give more to the spread of the Gospel and the care of the needy.  They are grateful when someone shares a need with them, and are always joyful when they can meet that need.  See Romans 12:8, 13, 2 Corinthians 8:1-5; 9:6-15; Acts 4:32-37, Galatians 4:15, Philippians 4:10-18.

Romans 12:8 “the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”

Hospitality - Those with this gift have the ability to make visitors, guests, and strangers feel at ease. They often use their home to entertain guests. Persons with this gift integrate new members into the body

Unfriendliness, Inhospitality, Animosity, and being Annoyed, are the opposites. These ill-begotten feelings will allow you to push others away, and give up precious friendships and opportunities for personal growth through networking, connections, and fellowship. These are rotten fruits of egocentricity, as you only see the world as it revolves around you, and you miss seeing the value of others. With this attitude, you will not develop good friendships or be effective in the church, neighborhood, or workplace.

The spiritual gift of hospitality is the ability to welcome strangers and entertain guests, often in your home, with great joy and kindness so that they become friends. Hospitality is supposed to include one's family (1 Tim. 5:8), friends (Prov. 27:10), Christians (Gal. 6:10), and strangers who may not be Christians (Lev. 19:34).

These people tend to have an "open home" where others are welcome to visit. This gift is often combined with the natural talents of interior design, cooking, and event planning. Importantly, hospitality is NOT to be extended to false teachers and the like, who are a danger (2 John 10-11).

Jesus spent time befriending social outcasts (Matt. 11:19), often ate with His disciples, and has welcomed us into the family of God, which includes an eternal home (John 14:2) and an eternal party (Isa. 25:6-9; Rev. 19:6-9). Elders and pastors are commanded to exercise hospitality (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:8). Peter enjoyed the hospitality of Simon (Acts 9:43) and Cornelius (Acts 10:48). Paul enjoyed the hospitality of Lydia (Acts 16:15) and the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:34).

1 Peter 4:9 “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.”