Good morning! I hope you all had a good day yesterday. It was mostly an inside day for us with the rain and sprinkles, but it was good. Play time and snack time! We had our final night of vacation Bible school last night. It was a fun week, but I'm tired!
In this chapter, Paul turns his attention to spiritual gifts. Like someone said before, I wish we knew the questions he was responding to. One theologian defines gifts as "gracious endowments leading to miraculous results through the extraordinary influences of the Holy Spirit! Paul reminds them of their past and that they may not all understand the spiritual gifts, but a good judge of the gift is how does it enable or promote Jesus and the Gospel (v 3).
The gifts are different, the ministries are different, the activities are different, there is diversity in the styles, but there is only one source- one Spirit that provides these gifts. Each of us has a unique way we can serve God (vv 4-7). Each of us has different abilities, yet we all have the same goal of bringing people to God. Have you thought of your special gifts that bring people to God? The Holy Spirit is active- if we let it and are receptive to it! Granted, sometimes the Spirit is more apparent than at other times, but it is always there! That presence and our gifts are working together for the benefit of the entire church family- nit just us as an individual. Paul then goes through and describes several spiritual gifts (vv 8-11). An interesting activity to do this weekend is your own spiritual gifts inventory. You can find one here designed by the UMC: UMC Spiritual Gifts
The next set of verses speaks of how we are to all work together with our gifts. I have used these passages in school many times when teaching the kids about how the body works together. We are all special (one of our VBS kids said this several times this week!) and we all work together- like the different organs of our body have to work together for the continuation of life (vv 12-13). Our body is dynamic, our faith and church is dynamic- growing and changing and developing through the years. Each person in the church has a vital role and each person should be "used" to the best of their abilities for the promotion of the Gospel. Are we doing that? In our church, does everyone have a role for the continuation and promotion of the Gospel?
The whole of this chapter is the unique abilities we all have for the promotion of the Gospel and the integrity of the church. Are we utilizing these gifts? Are we working together? Are we unique but the same? Lots of questions and things to think about with these words from Paul.
Have a good weekend and let's report back about our gifts for Monday!
Shalom+
Pastor Paul
Spiritual gifts are many but I myself would fall more into the line of assistant or helper as that is what I was more or less my whole life I was not really ever a leader altho in my career as a nurse the were times that I became a teacher. I like to do what i can to help but due to age and physical limitations I can't always do a lot but am willing to do what I can. So I don't think God ever meant for me to be a leader as I do best with helping(Now best doing things sitting down as it is difficult do things standing)
ReplyDeleteWe all have great gifts! And being a helper is just as important and being a leader! There is also lots of teaching in that!
DeleteYou do good work Clara!
Thanks!
I have been waiting for someone to comment on this reading. Thank you Clara I agree with you. I feel strong in my faith but am uncomfortable preaching. I am definitely a laborer. I will take meals to people I did teach Sunday school for a few years. I decorated the church's that I have attended. We do all have a gift to offer as we travel through life. There are so many things going on in this world. I read this quote this week that I wrote down...One way to keep your heart together when the state of the world weighs heavy on it is to simply help somebody even if it is just one person.
ReplyDeleteLast night I went to a banquet for the volunteer fire department where I grew up. My father was being honored for 50 years of service. Listening to these people talk about the calls they go on I was moved to tears. There are so many unsung heroes out there.
I hope everyone had a good weekend.
Help someone! Love that! Helpers are the people that make the world tolerable! Thanks for the work you do!
DeleteWe do overlook many of the helpers in our world! Congrats on Dad's 50 years of service! Wow!!
Thanks for all you do Cindy!
This chapter is very familiar - and I like that Paul made it a point to tell the Corinthians that NO ONE is less then another because of their gift and/or contribution. The body cannot work as a whole without all the parts - even those not so attractive - like the stomach (smile). I have taken some classes and took the "gift" survey three times - and although not always the exact same result -they were pretty close. I think a larger church with many people in a "lead" role who can assist a Pastor in searching out the members of the congregation to find their particular gift is a bit easier then in a smaller church where there might only be one or two people to help the Pastor search out a particular gift in a congregation. Especially since, I am sure, some people feel they do not have a gift to offer or are not confident enough to offer their gift! It is a fine line - keep those that have always done certain things but at the same time, get "new" people to become active!
ReplyDeleteWe do judge people based on their gifts don't we! But we are all equal! Spiritual gifts do change over time (we will see this in chapter 13). But they generally will be similar time after time!
DeleteConfidence is definitely lacking in many people!
Thanks Donna!
This chapter is so familiar to me too! One thing I always think of is that we need to think more broadly. Paul says in vs 27- now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it- but why does that have to mean just in the church? To me it means in the wider community. I was very involved in the leadership of a larger church for a number of years. As I look back, I think I did more to just serve those members than to serve the community. I feel I can do more for more people in my community with my current role as Library Director. In a way, to me church is like a recharging station for the soul. From there we need to go out and DO ministry.
ReplyDeleteCathy, you said that so perfectly in your last sentence! And I so agree and feel the same! Sometimes we forget to integrate our “church us” with our “everyday us”!
DeletePaul is referencing the church, but I agree- it is the entire community! Back in the day- it was the church that lead the community- now not so true! I do hope my people leave recharged on Sunday-- I think some do, and I think some don't!
DeleteGo and do!
Thanks Cathy!
I have always been a "worker bee" as opposed to a "leader bee." However, the world needs both kinds to survive and, more importantly, to prosper. As the author says, it is more important that the parts work together than separately. I always thought that sharing one's gifts with everybody else is very important. However, of late, it has come to mind that identifying ones gifts can be just as difficult, and, possibly more so, than sharing them. As an example, I believe that for a natural leader, it can be easy to identify his own gifts and put them to use in serving God. However, I think of my own case. I was very unhappy for a long time because I could not find any vocation that made me feel good about myself. Then I joined our local volunteer fire department and I found that I truly enjoyed helping others. I'm not saying that life was entirely rosy after that, but I came to find more things that made me happy and I believe a happier person serves God a lot better than an unhappy one. I find that I can serve God by painting the shed, mowing the lawn and doing more mundane chores. I feel that by serving on the Board of Trustees, I have done more to serve God than I have accomplished by doing jobs that other people feel are important, but leave me cold.
ReplyDeleteWe definitely need workers! And I appreciate your working ability! It is tough to find our niche, but when we do we are happy! We are happiest when we are serving God using the gifts that we have! We can do other things, but we aren't so happy when we do that are we?!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jack!