In a world full of distractions and superficial attractions, it’s easy to forget the real purpose behind our creativity, spiritual gifts, and intelligence. These gifts aren’t meant for self-promotion or chasing after vanity. According to 1 Corinthians 12:7, the reason for these gifts is clear: “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (ESV). The New Living Translation even emphasizes that they are given “so that we can help each other.” This divine intelligence we carry is meant to serve others and build a stronger, more connected community.
Intelligence isn’t a privilege; it’s a gift meant to be used for the benefit of others, as Otto Octavius wisely noted in Spider-Man 2. The intelligence we possess isn’t just for our own advantage—it’s a responsibility. We are entrusted with it to enhance the value and productivity of everything around us, especially those things that lack the intelligence we have. Our creativity, spiritual gifts, and intelligence are tools to uplift others, to make the world better, and to increase the yield of the resources we’ve been given. It’s our duty to actively put these gifts to work.
Human creativity has continuously unlocked the potential of the natural world, transforming raw materials into valuable resources. Consider crude oil—once just a thick, sticky substance in the earth, but through human ingenuity, it is now refined into fuels, plastics, and countless other products that power our lives. Solar panels are another example, capturing sunlight and converting it into clean, renewable energy, harnessing what was always there but previously underutilized. Yet, much work remains undone. God continues to give us grace and ideas, urging us to press on and find even more ways to enhance the world around us for the common good.
