Giftedness (and gratitude)

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mar09

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2014
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#1
Looking for a thread on gifts and giftedness, i saw mooky's thread on spiritual gifts 6 days ago. But it isnt quite what i had in mind. So i start this, after thinking about other giftedness in people, i mean not just spiritual.

There was a seminar i attended recently on parenting gifted children, quite an eye-opener for me. Of course people misunderstand when the definitions we use for the word are also different. This is meant to be a thread where people can share what they understand abt giftedness. I have also just recently passed by an article on Gratitude, where i read this, where Jesus asked,

"Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner? And then he said to them, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well.’ (Luke 17: 16 -18
)
Biblical scholars of this passage agree that by “faith,” what Jesus really meant was thankfulness, as in, “Your gratitude has made you well.” The parable reminds us of just how common ingratitude is and how easy it is to take blessings for granted, and how gratitude is dependent upon unmerited favors...

According to Mark T. Mitchell, professor of political science at Patrick Henry College in Virginia:
Gratitude is born of humility, for it acknowledges the giftedness of the creation and the benevolence of the Creator."


We can hardly talk abt gifts and giftedness without the Creator. Many of us misunderstand that just because one is good in math, music, language, science or art, he is a genius! But God's word and those who study giftedness say something else.

Will you share what you know to help us understand this? You may post also considering the theory of multiple intelligences... Thanks in advance.
 

mar09

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2014
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#2
I was searching for verses on gifts and here are some that came up:


James 1:17 - Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

1 Peter 4:10 - As every man hath received the gift, [even so] minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Ephesians 2:8 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:

Romans 12:6 - Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, [let us prophesy] according to the proportion of faith;

1 Corinthians 12:1-31 - Now concerning spiritual [gifts], brethren, I would not have you ignorant...

Luke 6:38 - Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Matthew 7:11 - If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

James 1:5 - If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

1 Corinthians 14:1 - Follow after charity, and desire spiritual [gifts], but rather that ye may prophesy.

2 Corinthians 9:15 - Thanks [be] unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Most of them refer to spiritual gifts, but i do not really know the original texts of these. What are the good and perfect gifts? And with Matt. 7.11, for example, what are the good gifts referred to?
 

mar09

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2014
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#3
I am sorry, if the OP may not be that clear, but i did hope some would post to help understand better. As i searched on giftedness, wisdom, intelligence, there sure is need to find definitions. People have very different understanding of these, and one vid for example that talked on intelligence, in another it seemed to talk abt geniuses wc are not exactly the same. There was also a grad ceremony i went to recently, where a young person i know was given an Intrapersonal award medal, and this got me thinking how misunderstood some can be, when we do not strive to understand.

Found this vid, wc might help explain the 'levels'of intelligence, and this is secular view, for the Bible does not really identify or differentiate among them. Anyway, it is not so much as knowing this person is more intelligent than him or her, but rather that we know if and how the Lord gifted us/others, and how to use or embrace this, or let young people understand this too and not get puffed up or what. I hope i had the right words=). Thanks.
[video=youtube;Otu_wRjFYXw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Otu_wRjFYXw[/video]
 
Last edited:
Feb 28, 2016
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#4
Godly gifts can only come from Him - although many worldly people possess amazing talents and such.
but, Holy gifts can only come from Jesus' heart to ours...
 

mar09

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2014
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#5
Thanks for the insight, otn. I didnt even see a similar thread here on the subject, and wish to read/understand more.
 

mar09

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2014
4,927
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#6
I was searching for verses on gifts and here are some that came up:


James 1:17 - Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Matthew 7:11 - If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

James 1:5 - If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

1 Corinthians 14:1 - Follow after charity, and desire spiritual [gifts], but rather that ye may prophesy.

2 Corinthians 9:15 - Thanks [be] unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Most of them refer to spiritual gifts, but i do not really know the original texts of these. What are the good and perfect gifts? And with Matt. 7.11, for example, what are the good gifts referred to?
I sincerely hope someone would help answer some questions i havent time to google and cannot ask someone else about yet...

I tried to search on giftedness in Christians, and came across some article with some éxplanations.' The author isnt one i am familiar with, but she has some points i could share here:

"The fact is that the church as a whole does not do a good job of making room for or embracing those parts of the body which are smarter and more creative than the norm. We see this in those parts of the church which fiercely oppose science and will even claim that those who engage in the work of science are doing the devil’s work. It is present in those who insist that a “plain reading” of scripture is good enough and refuse to consider context, history, translation or any of the other issues which affect the way that we read and understand the text. It shows up in how churches deal with their members who produce art, literature or music...

This animosity also floats on a the good number of verses which seem to speak critically of those who are learned or wise over those who are more simple:

At that very time He [Jesus] rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.” Luke 10:21
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” 1 Corinthians 3:19-20
For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” i Corinthians 1:19

Personally I have heard texts like this used with absolute arrogance by those who wish to declare themselves superior in the eyes of God for their narrow-minded, anti-intellectual ways. Which right there is probably a pretty good sign of someone whose relationship with God is a long-distance one, but whatever. The reality is that there often is a deep suspicion of those who are particularly smart or creative in the church. And to a certain extent it’s not hard to understand why. There have always been those scientists that like to loudly declare that their discoveries have somehow eliminated God. And creative types do have a tendency to push boundaries until they are broken and shattered on the floor.

However, God has clearly purposed that there always be a certain number of people who fall outside of the norms. This may seem like a small issue, but scripture tells us that the church is a body. It needs all its members and parts to function properly..."

https://theupsidedownworld.com/2012/06/09/christianity-and-giftedness/
 

mar09

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Sep 17, 2014
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#7
Let me post on definition of the word "giftedness" from the NAGC, although definitions in the US are said to differ in various states..

[h=2]What is Giftedness?[/h]Giftedness, intelligence, and talent are fluid concepts and may look different in different contexts and cultures. Even within schools you will find a range of beliefs about the word "gifted," which has become a term with multiple meanings and much nuance.


Gifted children may develop asynchronously: their minds are often ahead of their physical growth, and specific cognitive and social-emotional functions can develop unevenly. Some gifted children with exceptional aptitude may not demonstrate outstanding levels of achievement due to environmental circumstances such as limited opportunities to learn as a result of poverty, discrimination, or cultural barriers; due to physical or learning disabilities; or due to motivational or emotional problems. This dichotomy between potential for and demonstrated achievement has implications for schools as they design programs and services for gifted students.


NAGC does not subscribe to any one theory of the nature of human abilities or their origins. We assert that there are children who demonstrate high performance, or who have the potential to do so, and that we have a responsibility to provide optimal educational experiences to fully develop talents in as many children as possible, for the benefit of the individual and the community.

Definitions of Giftedness
Definitions provide the framework for gifted education programs and services, and guide key decisions such as which students will qualify for services, the areas of giftedness to be addressed in programming (e.g., intellectual giftedness generally, specific abilities in math), when the services will be offered, and even why they will be offered. There is no universally accepted definition of giftedness.

National Association for Gifted Children

“Gifted individuals are those who demonstrate outstanding levels of aptitude (defined as an exceptional ability to reason and learn) or competence (documented performance or achievement in top 10% or rarer) in one or more domains. Domains include any structured area of activity with its own symbol system (e.g., mathematics, music, language) and/or set of sensorimotor skills (e.g., painting, dance, sports).”
Read NAGC’s position paper, Redefining Giftedness for a New Century: Shifting the Paradigm.
[h=4]State Definitions of Gifted and Talented[/h]Nearly every state has its own definition of gifted and talented students. Some define giftedness based on a comparison to others of the same age. Others base the definition on needs beyond what is offered in the regular classroom. Not all states require that school districts follow the state definition.


And there is a blog from Duke TIP which asks if giftedness and intelligence are the same thing...

https://blogs.tip.duke.edu/giftedtoday/2015/11/05/are-giftedness-and-intelligence-one-in-the-same/
 

mar09

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2014
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#8
Some may be familiar with Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence (MI), which has had a profound impact on thinking and practice on education (Smith, 2008).

Gardner wrote:
I want my children to understand the world, but not just because the world is fascinating and the human mind is curious. I want them to understand it so that they will be positioned to make it a better place. Knowledge is not the same as morality, but we need to understand if we are to avoid past mistakes and move in productive directions. An important part of that understanding is knowing who we are and what we can do… Ultimately, we must synthesize our understandings for ourselves. (Howard Gardner 1999: 180-181)

Born in Pennsylvania in 1943, his Jewish parents fled from Germany in 1938. He went to Wyoming Seminary, and appears to have embraced the opportunities there. Then he went to Harvard for history, and met Eric Erikson, who became a tutor. Now a professor in education at Harvard, he is also adjunct professor of neurology at the Boston University School of Medicine.

To Gardner, intelligence is “the capacity to solve problems or to fashion products that are valued in one or more cultural setting.” (Gardner and Hatch 1989). He initially listed 7 intelligences, where the first 2 are typically valued in schools, the next 3 usually associated with the arts, and the last 2 what he called ‘personal intelligences.’ He wanted to add Naturalistic (“Nature smart”) and Existential Intelligence (“Spiritual”), however.

Ø Linguistic Intelligence (“Word Smart”)
Ø Logical-Mathematical Intelligence (“Number Smart”)
Ø Spatial Intelligence (“Picture Smart”)
Ø Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence (“Body Smart”)
Ø Musical Intelligence (“Music Smart”)
Ø Intrapersonal Intelligence (“Me Smart”)
Ø Interpersonal Intelligence (“We Smart”)

Gardner claimed these rarely operate independently, and tend to complement each other as people develop skills. According to him, these intelligences are amoral, and can be put to use constructively or destructively. It is so important to make every effort to bring curriculum into the classroom that “touches” each Intelligence with opportunities to present materials in an Intelligence that would energize them (Stowe, 2011).
“A number of schools in North America have looked to structure curricula according to the intelligences, and to design classrooms and even whole schools …”

Of course, it has issues and problems, incl. questions as:
Are the criteria Gardner uses adequate?
Does his conceptualization of intelligence hold together?
Is there sufficient empirical evidence supporting his conceptualization?


Smith, Mark K. (2002, 2008) ‘Howard Gardner and multiple intelligences’, the encyclopedia of informal education, in
infed.org | Howard Gardner, multiple intelligences and education
Stowe, Sally. (2011) ‘Multiple intelligences’ in Multiple Intelligences | Gifted Child Institute
 

mar09

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2014
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#9
On giftedness: [video=youtube;W4Gj2UC8gYI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4Gj2UC8gYI[/video]