As we wrap up a series of articles on 1 Corinthians 13, let’s review by asking ourselves some questions.
So, what are your gifts? What can you do for the body of Christ?
It doesn’t have to be speaking on a stage or at a podium. It doesn’t have to be playing piano or violin or harpsichord. It doesn’t have to be traveling to a foreign land. Still, if you follow Jesus, you are an important part of the body of Christ, and have something to offer.
If you don’t have an idea in mind yet about what you can do for the body of Christ, pause for a moment to think about it. What has God made you good at? Where has God used you in the past? (Now, there are also opportunities to serve the body of Christ that are situation-specific, but I think that God often gives each of us abilities, talents, gifts, or skills that can be applied throughout our walk with Jesus.)
If you’re not sure, ask God this week, and ask some of your friends and family, since they probably see it. And, once you understand the primary importance of love in directing your actions, don’t be afraid to take a “spiritual gifts survey”, to get more ideas on where God may have gifted you to show His love for others.
Then, as you consider how you use that gift, ask yourself some questions:
Am I using my gift? There are those who hide their light under a basket, we might say. God gave them a superpower (actual supernatural power), but they are too afraid, too self-conscious, too fearful, or (sometimes in my case, at least) perhaps too lazy to use it.
If you’ve been keeping your gifts to yourself, consider how you might start using them. Talk with God about what He wants you to do, and then try some things out. It doesn’t even have to be a formal “ministry” of the church. Just use your gift in Jesus’ name, as an outpouring of the love that you have for others who Jesus loves.
Am I using my gift for the good of the body of Christ? Sometimes, the abilities that God provides us (whether these are truly spiritual gifts or just another part of how He made us) can be used in the secular world. We might use God-given abilities to work at a job, or to make friends. I don’t think that this is wrong: after all, Paul was a tentmaker (more of a skill than a spiritual gift, I suppose), for instance, and he earned money by doing so.
However, we can’t stop at using God’s blessings for only ourselves. There are elements of how He created us that are also meant to be used for the good of the church. If you aren’t using God’s gifts to you for the good of the larger body of Christ, think about how you can start, and then actually start.
Am I using my gift in love? Or, am I doing what I’m doing just so others will see how pious I am, to show off, or to feel good about myself? Do I love other people in the church – even the weird ones or the ones who do things we don’t like – so much that I want to use my abilities from God to help them out?
If you’re using your gifts without loving others, let’s get the horse before the cart, and spend some time this week re-reading verses 4-7 of this chapter to learn how we can love others.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV
Then, pick someone – maybe someone you have trouble loving – and try to love them better. Once you have started that, you may find God leading you to apply your own gifts for that person’s benefit.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for April 21, 2024
References:
- The Lookout, April 14, 2024, © 2024 Christian Standard Media.
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – 1 Corinthians, by Richard E. Oster, Jr. © 1995 College Press Publishing Co.
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