Lenten Devotions - Day 32
“The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others. Some of us can speak with wisdom, while others can speak with knowledge, but these gifts come from the same Spirit. To others the Spirit has given great faith or the power to heal the sick or the power to work mighty miracles. Some of us are prophets, and some of us recognize when God’s Spirit is present. Others can speak different kinds of languages, and still others can tell what these languages mean. But it is the Spirit who does all this and decides which gifts to give each of us.” 1 Corinthians 12:7-11
It is fairly easy to celebrate our individual differences. Society speaks glibly of diversity. We may look upon diversity as a goal to achieve or a threat. We celebrate our distinctive differences. In the process, we may celebrate ourselves, painting our own characteristics in a better light than those we find somewhat different or alien to our experience. At other times, we may highlight the gifts of others as more important than our own, perhaps excusing ourselves for reticence to use our own gifts. This diversity, with all its importance and contribution, however, is not the point Paul was trying to make. He states the differences in gifting, but his point is that gifts qualify us to serve.
Verse seven says that these gifts are “a special way of serving others.” There is a purpose to the gifting of God’s Spirit. It has nothing to do with advancing our personal talents, our individual notions, our private agendas, or placing people in some kind of spiritual caste system. Rather, within our diversity, we are called together in service to build the larger body of Christ Jesus. This is not a task relegated to a few with special gifts. It is God's purpose for each one gifted by the Spirit. Working together through varied means, we are commissioned to multi-dimensional and varied service with a shared goal. That goal is to serve others under the name and authority of Christ Jesus.
We can spend much energy trying to make ourselves the same. We can spend countless hours worrying over how to stress our differences, how to divide ourselves, how to determine our relative individual worth. We can compare, analyze, and study the potential contributions of our make-up and that of others, but in all of this we may miss the point. The question we really need to ask is whether we are allowing God’s Spirit to use the gifts entrusted to our care.
As members of the body of Christ, we are called to represent Christ Jesus in the world. We are called to ministers to the rest of the body of Christ. We are called to reveal Christ to those outside the gospel through our words and deeds—the witness of our lives. If we take up our call and mission, there will not be time and energy left over for so much of the infighting that has characterized the church since Paul wrote the Corinthians.
They were divided over definitions of who was in the right, who was more important, who held to the more faithful emphases or traditions. In the process, they took their hearts, minds, and lives of God’s purpose of mission and ministry. After all, God had created and gifted them all differently, but for one purpose—to reveal Christ and show the world how to love as Jesus did. Can we set aside our concerns over diversity and distinction to join in the mission of service to which we are all called?
Set aside your penchant for criticism by focusing on how God has gifted you. Apply those gifts to touch others with the love of Jesus Christ.
“Lord, help me to think less of myself, and more of how you prepare me to serve you.”
—©Copyright 2009 Christopher B. Harbin http://www.sermonsearch.com/contributors/104427/
It is fairly easy to celebrate our individual differences. Society speaks glibly of diversity. We may look upon diversity as a goal to achieve or a threat. We celebrate our distinctive differences. In the process, we may celebrate ourselves, painting our own characteristics in a better light than those we find somewhat different or alien to our experience. At other times, we may highlight the gifts of others as more important than our own, perhaps excusing ourselves for reticence to use our own gifts. This diversity, with all its importance and contribution, however, is not the point Paul was trying to make. He states the differences in gifting, but his point is that gifts qualify us to serve.
Verse seven says that these gifts are “a special way of serving others.” There is a purpose to the gifting of God’s Spirit. It has nothing to do with advancing our personal talents, our individual notions, our private agendas, or placing people in some kind of spiritual caste system. Rather, within our diversity, we are called together in service to build the larger body of Christ Jesus. This is not a task relegated to a few with special gifts. It is God's purpose for each one gifted by the Spirit. Working together through varied means, we are commissioned to multi-dimensional and varied service with a shared goal. That goal is to serve others under the name and authority of Christ Jesus.
We can spend much energy trying to make ourselves the same. We can spend countless hours worrying over how to stress our differences, how to divide ourselves, how to determine our relative individual worth. We can compare, analyze, and study the potential contributions of our make-up and that of others, but in all of this we may miss the point. The question we really need to ask is whether we are allowing God’s Spirit to use the gifts entrusted to our care.
As members of the body of Christ, we are called to represent Christ Jesus in the world. We are called to ministers to the rest of the body of Christ. We are called to reveal Christ to those outside the gospel through our words and deeds—the witness of our lives. If we take up our call and mission, there will not be time and energy left over for so much of the infighting that has characterized the church since Paul wrote the Corinthians.
They were divided over definitions of who was in the right, who was more important, who held to the more faithful emphases or traditions. In the process, they took their hearts, minds, and lives of God’s purpose of mission and ministry. After all, God had created and gifted them all differently, but for one purpose—to reveal Christ and show the world how to love as Jesus did. Can we set aside our concerns over diversity and distinction to join in the mission of service to which we are all called?
Set aside your penchant for criticism by focusing on how God has gifted you. Apply those gifts to touch others with the love of Jesus Christ.
“Lord, help me to think less of myself, and more of how you prepare me to serve you.”
—©Copyright 2009 Christopher B. Harbin http://www.sermonsearch.com/contributors/104427/
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