In Ephesus, a man named Apollos was smart and passionate and used his talents to spread the Gospel. Because of his Jewish background, he had a clear understanding of Old Testament Scriptures and promises of the Messiah. His boldness and willingness to use his abilities for Christ made him “a great help to those who by grace had believed” (v. 27).

God has gifted each Christian in order to participate in His Church and mission. You have experiences and abilities that have prepared you to serve God and make a difference, but two things are necessary for you to use them well. First, you need passion. What good is it for a person to have skills and not be willing to use them? Apollos was “fervent in spirit” (v. 24). Second, you need a willingness to learn. Apollos was gifted, but he was also teachable. His humility enabled him to grow into an even better teacher and evangelist. Use your life to serve God and help others. Don’t wait until you have it all figured out. Get started as Apollos did and commit to learning and growing along the way.

• How can you be “a great help” to those around you this week?