Something from the Spirit can be seen in each person, for the common good. (NCV, 1 Corinthians 12:7)Paul reminds us that everyone has a gift.
Here's the thing: the gifts of the Spirit are not for personal use. Your gifts are not for you; they're for me, and my spiritual gifts aren't for me; they're for you.To be fulfilled, I must share my gift with the church.
Lots of people can preach better than me. Lots of people can sing better. Lots of people can write better music. Many are more discerning, more merciful, and more filled with faith. But when God put my spiritual gift mix together, he made me just the way he wants me, and I'm the best me there is in the whole world.
But even in being the best me in the whole world, I'm still falling short, because no matter how good a me I am, I'm not you. We were not meant to work in isolation, but in community. We really do need each other. No one has every gift; not everyone has the same gift; but everyone has a gift. And in God's kingdom, everyone's a 10 at something! It is in joining our gifts together, uniting for a common purpose that we function as the Body of Christ.
Together you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of that body (v. 27).
It's almost Christmas. What's your gift to the Body?
No comments:
Post a Comment