Last time we talked about the margins of our lives, and how we need not fill up every minute with work, activity, and play. There must be time to rest (Psalm 127:2), and the Lord gives that rest,
but we must be willing to put down the tools and toys and take a nap.
We need rest because we have limitations, but that idea is sometimes difficult for us to face. And there are other areas of life in which margins come into play, facets of life over which we do not exercise absolute control and in which we can not act alone.
For example, there are margins to our abilities. Scripture is clear that in a church, there is a great variety of gifts. The Apostle Paul explained this to the Corinthians in great detail (chapters 12-14), and emphasized how we need one another:
“If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you. . . . Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?” 1 Corinthians 12:19-21, 29
Yet many, many professing Christians today act as if they can live quite well, independent of a local body of believers. It is true, of course, that there are many more resources for our spiritual lives than “the Sunday morning sermon.” Books, seminars, and online opportunities abound. But I wonder how much we miss by not making ourselves vulnerable to a few other Christians whose gifts and abilities are very different from our own. Likewise, I wonder what some local body of believers is missing because we are not there.
The doctrine of spiritual gifts assures us that we do have something to contribute to others (Romans 12:3-8), but also shows us that all of these gifts are complementary and interactive. There is no doubt that you can do some things very well. There also is no doubt that you can’t do all things.
Don’t forget to allow for the margins!