One God, many different "tools"
Daily Scripture
1 Corinthians 12:4-7, 11
4 There are different spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; 5 and there are different ministries and the same Lord; 6 and there are different activities but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. 7 A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good.
11 All these things are produced by the one and same Spirit who gives what he wants to each person.
Daily Reflection & Prayer
The apostle Paul told his converts that God valued diversity. The people in God’s family of believers are not interchangeable. Like our physical body parts, we are different but work together. No one person receives all the gifts and talents needed for the job. That means that there aren’t “good” and “bad,” or even “important” and “unimportant,” sets of abilities and gifts. God intends for every believer to fill a place that makes the overall body stronger.
- In what ways are you already using your particular gifts and talents to bless others and bring glory to God? Have you ever seen your gifts become more effective when you work in unison with other people’s various gifts? Think and pray about at least one way, in the next 12 months, that you might integrate your abilities and experiences more fully into “the body of Christ’s” overall mission. (Need help? Click here.)
- “Different gifts”—“same Spirit”; “different ministries”—“same Lord,” “different activities”—“same God.” Have you ever seen people with different gifts or ministries start to see other gifts or activities, not as teammates and allies, but as “rivals” for attention or resources? It’s natural for us to believe what we’re involved in is the “most important.” How can we allow the “same Lord” behind all Kingdom activities to help us avoid infighting or creating unhealthy “silos”?
Prayer
Generous God, you’ve given me a portion of your divine power. You call me to use it to carry out your mission in the world. I commit to use the gifts you’ve given me for your purposes. Amen.
GPS Insights
Janelle Gregory
Janelle Gregory serves on the Resurrection staff as Human Resources Lead Director. Janelle finds that her heart is constantly wrestling with the truth that she needs a Savior, and the times when she's at her very best are when she's just too tired to put up a fight.
My mother often reminds me of what I was like as a toddler. She recalls, “We’d say, ‘Janelle, let me help you with that.’ You’d sternly look us in the eye and firmly reply, ‘No! I do it!’ You were always determined to figure it out and do it on your own.”
Asking for help is not a strength of mine. I like to solve problems on my own. I love the satisfaction of figuring things out. Challenges – they are like games to me. I love to analyze my best moves. I want to play strategically. Most of all, I want to win. The problem is that many challenges are not individual games. I need others. I need a team.
What you are most likely unaware of is that the very words you’re reading are here with a bit of help. This particular help comes from Greg. Greg is a regular Insight reader, and he is kind enough to review the Insights I write prior to them being posted. He is a superb proofreader. He carefully reads through the drafts I send him, marking recommended changes with his red font. I love that he sees what I don’t. His grammar is better than mine. I need his help to eliminate the abundance of superfluous commas I tend to add. I’m not saying that I am a winning writer, but I know that my writing is better because I play as a team. (Thanks, Greg!)
Despite what I thought as a toddler, we can’t do everything on our own. We all need help at some point. God knows this. This is why he has gifted us in different ways. Through the Spirit, he gives us each unique advantages to be good team players. He’s entrusted us to use these advantages (or gifts) generously and wisely. With the help of God, when we all live fully into the advantages we’re given, we’re always on the winning team!
