She calls herself an artist just because she dabbles. And although art is subjective, hers was truly of grade school project level.

 

The word, "artist," is a gift word. A friend said that we have to wait for someone to call us an artist when they have seen our gift. 

 

It's the same with being a writer. Being a gift word, I only started calling myself one after teachers, friends, clients, and readers have seen the gift beyond grammar and spelling. Not all who can write with perfect grammar is necessarily a writer of communication.

 

It's the same with being a teacher. I may be one by profession but I only truly become such when my students remember me after receiving their diploma.

 

Although familial relationships occur only by blood, to be called family is a gift word especially when you don't share the same DNA.

 

Christian is also a gift word. It is not our self-proclamation and shared bible verses on socmed that we become one. It is when people around us call us that because we have served them in the Name of the Lord (James 2:14-17, Heb. 6:10). Some self-professing Christians will get the shock of their lives when on the day of judgment, God rejects them because He never knew them. They may have done good works but the good only benefited them with their ulterior motives and worldly agenda (Mt. 7:21-23).

 

The best gift word, of course, is to be called a good and faithful servant by the ultimate Giver---God (Mt. 25:23). It is that one gift that we will never want to regift so let us strive to run the race (Heb. 12:1, 2 Tim. 4:7) to get that gift word prize. And how do we achieve that? Read the Word He has gifted us. Everything we need to make sure we get it is there. Spoiler alert: we need to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.