Friday Devotional Thought:
“So with yourselves; since you are eager for spiritual gifts, strive to excel in them for building up the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:12)
I think this is one of the most often-overlooked promises of the Bible — the truth that each of us have a gift that can (and should!) be used for building up the Body of Christ. I think we overlook this so often because we as Christians get caught in the trap of comparison.
God did not promise that our gift would be the greatest, the most obvious, or even the most useful. He simply promised that we would have something to give that would benefit our brothers and sisters in the Church.
We often look longingly at the gifts of others:
“Listen to how well she can sing!”
“Can you believe someone can speak so eloquently?”
However, every time you look at another believer’s gift in envy, you take your focus away from the face of Christ.
It doesn’t matter if your gift allows you to do something that no one else will ever notice, because the truth of it is this: our gifts were never for them to see.
They were only for Him to use in the way that would most edify the body of believers around you. And sometimes, His best work in them is done when our gifts are given in silence, without expectation of praise and recognition.
Take comfort today in knowing that He sees your gift and that it is precious to Him. Don’t shy away from giving your gift, for it is a gift that only you can give!
Originally published on the Waynesboro FUMC Facebook page, 3/18/16
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