In Romans 1:11 the Apostle Paul writes: “For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established (strengthened).” Paul wasn’t speaking of “spiritual gifts” here in the technical way that many of us have come to think of them. He didn’t want to see them so that he could give them the gift of tongues, or preaching, or administration, etc., in that sense of “spiritual gifts.”  Rather, he was saying that he wanted to be of spiritual benefit to the members of the church at Rome; to be a blessing to them; to pass along spiritual things which would be of help to them in their walk with God and in their service to Him. He makes this clear in the next verse (:12) which continues: “That is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith …”.  

The desire Paul expressed here would be a good goal for each of us to shoot for regarding every person we meet: that we might “impart some spiritual gift” to them — in other words, that by coming in contact with us, a person might benefit in some way spiritually.

A friend of mine made a great point when he asserted that “discipleship” can be more than just a formal “one-on-one” meeting with a person, in which they learn the Navigator’s “Wheel” or some other presentation of spiritual disciplines.  It can also involve any time we spend with someone, formally or informally, in which we share something with them that benefits them spiritually.   We should make it our goal that each person we meet might learn something about how to walk with God daily, how to pray, how to witness, how to relate to their spouse or children, how to respond graciously — or of course how to know the Lord as their Savior if they do not already.

What about the people you come in contact with each day?  Are they benefitting spiritually from their meetings with you? Ask God to help you impart a “spiritual gift” to someone you meet today, so that they might be strengthened in their faith.