“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.” 1 Corinthians 12:12
Paul had just stated that God has distributed different types of spiritual gifts to all believers. Some of these were healing, wisdom, and prophecy. Immediately he hits an issue that he knew would come. This issue is one of jealousy. He points out that there are supposed to be many parts to the body of Christ.
People who have a certain gift from God, often feel that their gift is the most important gift to have. If you don’t have that one gift, you really don’t have anything.
In your physical body, there are many parts to it. Each part plays its part in your body. No one part is more important than another, all are needed. Some may say the heart is the most important part since it pumps your blood, but if that is all you have, how would you get the needed oxygen? If your hand was most important and that is all you had, how would you get around?
In the body of Christ there are those with gifts from God of wisdom, or tongues, or interpretation of tongues, or prophecy, or one of the other gifts God gives. Each gift is important and needed to build each other up and build the body of Christ up.
Do not allow yourself to think that you are the most important one or have the most important gift. Work together with others and their gifts. There is a diversity of people and gifts in church. Each are important and needed in the way God has for them. Remember, also, that this diversity is in the gifts God has given each believer, not in sinful lifestyles and acts.
Work together and be in unity with other believers. Do not look with jealously or pride on others because of a gift God has given you or them.
Today I pray that God will reveal to you the gift He has given you; that God will give you wisdom in how to use that gift for His kingdom; that you will work together with other believers and their gifts; and that there will be unity in the body of Christ, His church.
Leave a Reply