Use Your Gifts!
"But now God has set the members,
each one of them, in the body just
as He pleased."
1 Corinthians 12: 18
Due to the embalming of their dead, the ancient Egyptians knew
both the internal and external body parts. Jews, however, did not
embalm their dead. Therefore, when Paul used a human body as
a metaphor for the Body of Christ, he referred only to the external
body parts (1 Corinthians 12:14-21).
Think how rich his metaphor might have been
with modern understanding of human physiology!
Paul’s point is that as every part of the human body is important,
so is every member of the Body of Christ. Every Christian has a
contribution to make for the health of the Church. Commitment of
people to their calling from God was true in the Old Testament.
When the Jews returned from Babylon to Jerusalem, divisions of
responsibility were established (Nehemiah 11). Some people were
designated to live in Jerusalem, some in the outlying towns. Levites
were to reestablish temple functions, and the choirs were to lead in
worship. Landowners grew crops to support the Levites—everyone
had a contribution to make.
What are you contributing to the health and strength
of your local church? God has gifted you to serve in
an important way.
"The church does not need brilliant
personalities but faithful servants
of Jesus and the brethren."
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
