You Are Gifted By God – Part 3

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 1 Corinthians 12:14

You cannot determine your spiritual gift any more than you can determine your eye color. The Holy Spirit gives us His gifts ‘as He wills’ (v. 11). Notice three things: 1) We are different from one another. ‘A body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body’ (v. 12). Why are there different gifts? Because there are different needs! 2) We are dependent on one another. It takes every part working together to have a healthy body that will function properly. Paul writes: ‘The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”’ (v. 21). Not only is every member of the body equally needed, they are equally important. Some of us are verbal and others are quiet. Some are dynamic and others laid back. Some are leaders and others followers. Some are high profile and others are inconspicuous. But all of us are equally needed and equally important. It doesn’t matter who gets the credit, as long as the job gets done and God gets the glory. 3) We are to be devoted to one another. ‘God has put the body together…so that there should be no division…but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a part of it’ (vv. 24-27).

Prayer

Heavenly Father, through Your giftedness, help Christians unify around Your mission. In Jesus’ name, Amen