Last time we talked about experts, how important they are, and also how all expertise comes ultimately from God’s gifting. Sooner or later we come to appreciate the skills of others because we benefit from them.
We can apply this same principle to God’s gifting people differently for ministry, too. The Apostle Paul explains the idea to the Corinthians, some of whom apparently had missed it.
He makes the case not only that each believer is gifted, but that our giftedness varies greatly from person to person, and that we should acknowledge and celebrate the way each person in the Body of Christ has a role to play in the health of the church (1 Corinthians 12:7): “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”
No matter what view of the gifts one takes, it is clear that (1) no one has all of the gifts, and (2) those who have gifts should be able to use them for the building up of the saints.
The implications are many, but here are three:
1. There are some things others do better than we do.
2. We should be humble enough to admit that there are some things we don’t do well.
3. We should be happy when someone who is gifted in an area we are not can help us and the rest of the church be better blessed.
Practically speaking, we should be on the lookout for such people, and help train them in just how to use their gifts for others. (A gift does not mean that the one with the gift has the wisdom and understanding to use it well. That is where training comes in.)
This does not mean that we retire from ministry or are looking for an excuse to take it easy. It just means that in our relationships in the church (and elsewhere) we should be looking for opportunities to enable and encourage the gifts of others, and not stand in their way.
It’s a happy day when we are so comfortable with who God has made us to be that we no longer envy others with greater abilities, talents, and skills. It’s a true mark of spiritual maturity.
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful.”
1 Corinthians 13:4, 5