If you have ever put a puzzle together, you know that if you get one piece out of place the rest won’t fit. Have one piece missing and you cannot complete the picture. Our youngest son, Drew, once said something similar about how a team works together.
Have you ever thought about where you fit into the ultimate team – the body of Christ?
The body of Christ is a team where we each serve using the gifts God has given us. Each member is like a correctly fitted puzzle piece. When we don’t use our gifts correctly, we take a position meant for someone else, and we are like that out of place piece.
Have you ever put a puzzle together and had one piece left over? Unlike a puzzle, God has a place in the body of Christ for you to use the gifts he has provided you.
There are 3 things you will want to keep in mind about your spiritual gifts and your placement in the body of Christ.
First, your spiritual gifts are to profit all members, not just yourself.
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
1 Corinthians 12:7
The second thing to remember is that God chose your gifts.
For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
1 Corinthians 12:8-11
The third thing you will want to remember is that He placed you in the body where He wanted you.
But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
1 Corinthians 12:18
God chose your gifts, placed you where He wanted you, and He meant for you to use your gifts to benefit all. But how are we to relate one to another?
And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
1 Corinthians 12:23-27
We are a team. When one suffers, we all suffer. When one is honored, we are to rejoice.
LIFE APPLICATION
Key Focal Verse:
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.
Psalms 37:23
Today’s challenge is to give considerable thought to how you can use your gifts effectively in the body to profit all. If you are not serving, your spot is waiting for you.