“But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” – 1 Corinthians 12:4-11
Unfortunately, it is way too easy to get caught in the cycle of looking at the gifts and talents that others possess rather than recognizing and embracing our own. We want to sing like one person does and dismiss how well we express ourselves in writing. We want to teach the Word with the charisma that another person has but dismiss the passion inside of our hearts for caring for the little children. We might even want to be as out-going as another person and dismiss the quiet spirit that others find great comfort in. Not one of the above gifts or talents is less than the other in the Kingdom of God. It takes all of us, coming together, to make a whole. The rest of this chapter goes on to share how, just as the human body has many parts but is a whole, so it is with the body of Christ. All together we are Christ’s body, and individually we are each a part of it (v. 27). We need Christ, and we need each other to work in harmony to reach others for the Kingdom.
Have you taken time to recognize and appreciate the gift and/or talent God has specifically placed in you? Take time this week to first, acknowledge the precious way God has created you, and then, find a way to express it to another person throughout your day.
