As I’ve said before, life and ministry in Aliquippa has driven us to rely on the Holy Spirit and to seek the gifts that he has for us here. Other than the occasional spiritual gifts inventory, I didn’t learn too much about the gifts when I was younger. I always felt that those inventories were wrong and would be better answered by those that knew me best. This was because I would answer the questions about how I wanted to be instead of how I really was. I have also felt that God equips us with the gifts that we need for each particular assignment that he gives us. But who knows really?

I have been wanting to read a book about the Holy Spirit and gifts but haven’t gotten my hands on one yet. So this morning I decided to turn to the most authoritative source on the matter, the words of God. I probably should have turned here a few weeks ago when the thought first struck me. Better late than never right? Well I read 1 Cor. 12-14. And needless to say, there is a lot of study and unpacking that could be done there, that might be coming in the next few weeks, but here is what I know.

First, God forms us in community and gives us complementary gifts to do His work with believers and unbelievers.  It doesn’t make sense to try to go about the Christian life alone. That’s just not how God made it. He made us to be a family, to work together. Some people may seem more gifted at ministry, but there are things they aren’t good at, that other people have to fill in for them. And there are some who seem like they couldn’t do anything right in ministry, but there is something that God has for them to contribute. It’s hard because, in America at least, we look at “super-Christians” and say how we wish we could do ministry like them. And what we do is shirk our responsibility and leave it all to the superstars. Well, let me tell you, in God’s Kingdom there are no superstars. Granted, there are some who are on the frontlines, who get more recognition. But in God’s Kingdom, the least will be the greatest. Remember what Jesus said about John the Baptist. He said that there wasn’t a man born of a woman who was greater than he, BUT that the least in the Kingdom will be greater than him. If we didn’t need such immediate gratification, we would be content to play our part, even if it is a lesser one, and realize that our reward is coming in another world. God has made us to live and work and do ministry together. He has made us that way, because everyone has gifts that need to be used and we have to figure out how to work together and use those gifts for the good of His body.

Second, and probably most importantly, the gifts are to be grounded in love. Can I just say, this is a problem for me. When I start thinking about gifts, I start wanting to be used. It all sounds so good in my head, “Lord, give me your gifts that I can do the work of bringing your Kingdom to this earth.” But when I pray that way, it becomes so easy to concentrate on me. I become most important. Other people become the means for me to use my gifts, to fix people. Man, how messed up is that. Love is the motivator. The love that Christ first showed us, compels us to action. Or it should anyway. We don’t seek the gift, so that we can feel that we measure up in ministry or feel good about who we are. We seek the gift so that the body can be edified and the gospel can be proclaimed and lived out in the world. Oh God, that we would love people enough to seek you and your gifts.

The last point for this post is that we need the Holy Spirit. We need to learn to listen to Him and discern what He is saying to us. When you get into it, there are so many issues and problems that we can help out with, but we really need to know how He is leading us to get involved. We need to learn how God has made us to be used and how in each situation He wants us to contribute. Sensitivity to the Spirit. Look at the life of Jesus, the life of Paul. There was a leading that is undeniable. It was not simply going about and doing what they wanted to do everyday. It was listening and following. Simple but complex. Open our ears Lord that we can discern and follow.

Sorry for the lag between posts. Hopefully, we can send out an Aliquippa update soon.

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