Daily Devotional for Wednesday, July 30

The Extent of the Gifts

“Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?” 1 Corinthians 12:29.

You are not God. I know that seems obvious, but some of you act like you are. I do not mean  that you are pretentious or act higher than anyone else. What I mean is that many of you think you can do it all. You think you can be the perfect mom. You think you can be the perfect spouse or the perfect worker. Your house can always be clean and your yard always manicured. Your makeup will always look good and your muscles always toned. But you are not and you cannot do all of those things.

Read the passage above closely (verse 29). The answer to those questions is no. Paul was trying to set out a proper understanding of the role of spiritual gifts within the early churches. Certain gifts held a higher prestige than others, and, people being people, the Corinthians were seeking out what they thought were the better gifts. This section of Scripture is a fairly strong rebuke of this attitude. The church is a body, with different members with different gifts all contributing for the benefit of the body as a whole. All parts were important, so they were to stop highlighting certain gifts.

Nobody had all the gifts. And certain gifts were not for everyone. They were given what they were given, and they were to use that to serve God and to serve one another. Likewise, you may not be able to do everything perfectly. You may not be able always to have it completely together (especially on Sunday mornings while trying to get kids ready for church). You are not God. But you are you. And God has given you what you need. He is shaping you into who He wants you to be. Do that and be that to the glory of God and the edification of His people.

PRAYER

“Father, use my imperfection for your perfect intention, Amen.”

Jason Rutherford