You Are Gifted By God (3)
You cannot determine your spiritual gift any more than you can determine your eye colour. The Holy Spirit gives us His gifts ‘as He wills.’ (1 Corinthians 12:11 NKJV) Notice three things:
(1) We are different from one another. ‘A body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body.’ (1 Corinthians 12:12NIV) Why are there different gifts? Because there are different needs!
(2) We are dependent on one another. It takes every part working together to have a healthy body that will function properly. Paul writes: ‘The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”’ (1 Corinthians 12:21 NIV) Not only is every member of the body equally needed, they are equally important. Some of us are verbal and others are quiet. Some are dynamic and others laid back. Some are leaders and others followers. Some are high profile and others are inconspicuous. But all of us are equally needed and equally important. It doesn’t matter who gets the credit, as long as the job gets done and God gets the glory.
(3) We are to be devoted to one another. ‘God has put the body together… so that there should be no division… but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a part of it.’ (1 Corinthians 12:24–27 NIV)