“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren,
I do not want you to be ignorant”
– 1 Corinthians 12:1 –
In 1 Corinthians 12, there are at least five essential principles:
- Every Christian needs to know the spiritual gifts (vv. 1-3) to actively participate in the mission that Christ left to His church.
- There is a diversity of gifts and diversity of services, or ministries (vv. 4-10), but the Lord is the same. And there is a diversity of accomplishments, but God Himself operates everything in everyone.
- The Holy Spirit distributes gifts to all as He pleases (v. 11).
- Just as the human body has several parts, but they all make up one body, so the gifts from God are given to those who make up the body of Christ, and that implies that no one feels superior or inferior because they have received this or that gift (vv. 12-27).
- We cannot all receive the same gifts (vv. 28-30). First, the church, as a body, needs to develop in all aspects to fulfill its mission completely. Second, the Holy Spirit resolved to distribute various gifts as the best way to strengthen the church.
God encourages us to use the gifts the Holy Spirit has bestowed upon us so that we can help strengthen the church, maintain its unity, and personally collaborate in the fulfillment of the mission. It is God’s plan to bestow a diversity of gifts in the church.
There are professing Christians who think it their duty to make every Christian like themselves. This is man’s plan, not the plan of God. In the church of God there is room for characters as varied as are the flowers in a garden. In His spiritual garden there are many varieties of flowers (Evangelism, p. 99).
BBC World News presented a report entitled: “Why do we hate wasps and love bees?” The negative view of wasps in unfair, because they are as beneficial to the environment as bees. The pollinate flowers and also play a key role in killing and eating other insects considered pests, thus reducing the use of pesticides.
Wasps cause aversion in many, while bees are appreciated by most. A survey conducted in 46 countries and published in the journal Ecological Entonomy reveals that the words most associated with wasps are “dangerous,” “stinging,” and “annoying.” For bees, on the other hand, they were “honey,” “flowers,” and “pollination.”
Although similar, they are different, and although different, they are similar.
It is not one or the other; it is one and the other,
each making its contribution.
We need “wasps” and “bees” to help us
end the plagues of sin
and sweeten the world with the honey of the gospel.
God has blessed your talents already, feel free to use them…