Doug Van Pelt

Gifts...what did you get?

1 Corinthians chapter12 is kind of famous and noteworthy as a discourse about "spiritual gifts." There is a humorous kind of phenomenon between a few different parties within the body of Christ -- those that embrace the "gifts of the Spirit" for today and those that think these gifts are ancient activities that happened in New Testament times but not now. Both will come to chapters 12, 13 (the "Love chapter") and 14, as Paul directly discusses their use in the church. Whenever I think about spiritual gifts, I long for the gift of healing. Wouldn't it be neat to walk into a hospital, lay hands on people, pray for their healing, and see them walk out healthy? It would also be neat to have the gift of prophecy. That could be helpful as well. Some of the gifts Paul talks about, though, are often ignored (at least in my mind) as not being as attractive as the "power gifts," yet they are all powered by the Holy Spirit and all useful.

"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one, just as He determines."

When seen in that light, I will gratefully receive any of these gifts, for they all help in the building up of and strengthening and helping the body of Christ. Serving the church can sometimes be seen in an unattractive light (I don't know why), where service to the saints seems like a lesser role or status. For some reason it might sound nobler to assist and serve the lost, the broken, the atheist drunk, the drug addict estranged from God. While these are quite noble and loving roles as well, they shouldn't have an elevated status above helping the church, should they? The vice-versa would be true as well, wouldn't it? None of us should look at another and think that what we're doing in service to the Lord is more important than what another is doing.

Maybe next time I see someone I know serving as an usher or a greeter at my church, or maybe the volunteer who helps clean up after Sunday School class, I should honor them in my heart and silently thank the Lord for their service and ask for His blessing upon them. Maybe a big smile and hearty welcome would be appropriate. One thing I've learned about serving is that many folks doing this do not want to be honored in a public way. They don't serve for recognition, but for love. They will almost resist public honor. One thing that I know I can do for someone like that is to simply "honor them in my heart" (and in my mind). I want to be that man that recognizes the value in the people around me.