Friday
The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Vs 12.
I love this imagery of Paul. He uses the example of a body to explain so well, just how important each part we are given to perform is to the rest of the body. Our work should be done in harmony and respect for one another. We should never consider one part more important than another. One part may have more responsibility, but is never superior to the work of anyone else. Think about the different “jobs” we have within the church. Is the person who takes out the trash any less needed than the person who plays the piano on Sunday morning? Where would we be if all the trash piled up and the stench overwhelmed us? It is not that one job is more important than another, it is that all jobs work together in harmony to present the Gospel message in the best possible way!
Of course some roles require more skills than other roles, but you ask a person who is gifted with playing the piano, they will tell you that it is usually a joy for them to play. Now for me, playing the piano is painful (not only to me… but to everyone who hears me play. – Ha!)
Now there are Spiritual things that we all share in, for example, we all can pray; we all can have faith, but there are those who have a special gifting in prayer or in faith. If you have ever heard some pray, who has the gift of prayer… you’ll understand the difference.
Part of what Paul is saying to us, is that people tend to want to make themselves seem more important than others, and so they were using the Spiritual gifts as a measurement of who was greater. Remember the pastor is no more important than the person running the sound, it is just that their gift requires them to be more visible. Just because a person speaks in tongues, does not make him/her more righteous, it is just a gift that God uses to bless us with.
Use your gifts and use them in love (as we will discover in tomorrow’s reading).
Grace and Peace
Pastor Kathy