Possibly this is a thing that the evangelical church gets more "into" because you know we're all into self-realisation (err... not that this is a good thing maybe), but there is discussion of the spiritual gifts that believers get in a few spots in the Bible - let me start with Romans 12: 4-8, the list there is prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, ruling, and mercy. There's some difference of opinion about whether prophecy means *really* hard hitting new insights into the scriptures or just literal prophecy, but the others are reasonably obvious. Everyone has something that they're particularly good at. I, for instance, am not particulary a good teacher. I would like to be, I try to be - but it's not my gift. I am gifted in mercy - people find me, and I always find I have more to give, effortlessly. This goes above and beyond my Christian obligation to show mercy or hospitality - folks gifted with those are AWESOME at it. For instance, you don't like dealing with uninvited guests, it's an effort to you. The person gifted with hospitality somehow always has a clean (enough) house, plenty of random food, and the energy to deal.
We are not all equally gifted in all areas - and we aren't supposed to be. Paul prefaces his listing of gifts by saying, in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. and there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God who worketh all in all. (The discussion of gifts continues throughout chp 12, and through the end of chp 14, with some asides).
So this would go above and beyond our general Christian duty to show love to our neighbors in whatever way that they need, this would be our specific gift.
Does that begin to make more sense?
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