1 Corinthians 12 - You Are Gifted

        Every believer in Jesus Christ is gifted with special abilities and a role for service, directly by God.  I asked my wife this morning what my special spiritual abilities are and she had to think for a minute.  She said I am a “get the gist of it ‘er.”  Whatever that means!  She thinks I can listen to Shakespeare, watch a movie, or read Scripture, get to the heart of the meaning, and explain it to others.  I tend to agree with her.

        I think Kari's gifting is thinking ahead of what is needed and knowing what people will need to help them.  She is a planner and an organizer.  A natural logistician.  She has the gift of helping and servant leadership.

        This Bible passage tells believers the importance of the diversity of God's giftings.  We need to make an effort to hear and understand this.

        God gave me the ability to analyze, summarize, write, revise, and prioritize.  We are all wonderfully made.  Yet we can't take our giftings for granted.  And just because we have certain giftings doesn't mean we neglect other things.  Notice Paul's example.  He was a master of many things and a gifted apostle of Jesus Christ.  Yet he made tents and earned his own keep.

        Encourage others in their strengths.  That's the way God intended it.  

        I also love to lead Bible studies, cook, and mentor Christian men.  My interests and abilities have changed over the years.  At one point I was a somewhat gifted hockey player - that was a very limited season of my life.  That has limited utility - especially in the body of Christ.  Yet God uses all experiences.  During my hockey years, I enjoyed spending time in the dressing room with teammates (lawyers, oil and gas men, real estate developers, teachers, etc) before and after the game.  I loved the fellowship of the dressing room - to me, the stuff on the ice was secondary to the relationships in the dressing room.  Eventually, my own kids' activities crowded out that old-timer hockey.  I enjoyed those times, but I don’t really miss it.  God has other things, different things, yet similar, for the current season.

        If we had to boil down the gist of this passage of many parts and one body I’d say it is verse 25.  God puts His body together.  He has you right where He wants you.  He expects you to thrive there.  You may only be there for a short time, but thrive there.  Care for others today, right where you are.  When we stop talking and wondering about what our roles and abilities are and when we get serious every day about applying our abilities and acting in harmony to care for others that’s when the Church is unstoppable.  The body functions as God intends.

        We must earnestly desire the most helpful gifts (v. 31).  Let’s do that today.  Lord Jesus, please help me have abilities from you that help others.  May I encourage others today, and help in every way possible.

        The trouble is often it seems everyone wants to be the head.  Rarely do we dream that our children will be a pinky finger or a little toe.  We want little Johnny to be the next Gretzky - or to stick with Paul’s analogy, the nice eyes, good hair, nice lips, big brain, or the face of the whole thing.  But that’s not God’s way.  Selfish ambition is a sin and ends in misery.  Yet nobody, it seems, wants to be a foot.  They tend to stink, sweat, carry weight, get stuffed in work boots all day, throb, get blisters, and have to work in tandem with the other foot.  Not an easy or desirable role.  And yet, we all need feet.  In fact, thank God for the gift of well-designed feet.  They’ve taken you this far.  They’ve walked you across the stage at the High School and College grad.  They were there with you when your kids were born.  Maybe they helped you score the winning goal, or filled your shiny leather shoes in the boardroom.  The gift of feet!

        Holy Spirit please pour out your gifting and abilities on your people today.  May Christians teach our youth, lead our cities, command our troops, and interpret our laws.  May He bring revival worldwide.

        Consider your gifts today, but focus on the point - helping someone.  God gives abilities: wise advice, a message of special knowledge, great faith, healing, performing miracles, prophecy, discerning if a message is from God, the ability to speak in unknown languages, and interpreting languages.  And he gives service roles: apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle doers, healers, helpers, leaders, and multilingual speakers.

        Thank you mighty King for equipping us with abilities.  Help us to do miracles, help, heal, speak, teach, and prophesy about the Day of Your return.  Please help us see clearly and be confident in our God-given abilities.  Amen.