Spiritual gifts are not just for our own personal benefit, but for a mission much larger than ourselves. When the Holy Spirit poured out these gifts on the early church, it was to empower them for the work of ministry and to build up the body of Christ. These gifts are tools, divinely given to us to serve others and to make God's love and truth known in the world. They are the means by which we, as God's people, can participate in His redemptive work and fulfill our calling to be a light to the nations.