Tuesday, April 26 – 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

In our world, there is a great variety of team sports. There are probably some you like and some you don’t like. There are probably some you are good at and others you don’t care for. All team sports have a variety of positions within the game. Each player is uniquely gifted for their position on the team. Their giftings in the sport may not necessarily carry over as strongly to another position on the same team playing the same sport. Instead of wondering why they can’t be better at a different position, a player’s time is best spent strengthening the gifts that they have to play their position to the best of their ability.

When we look at different spiritual gifts across our church, it becomes easy to slip into a pattern of comparison. We wonder why God made us the way He did and why He gave other gifts that seem more appealing. Be encouraged, there may be different ways you see God at work in the lives of your brothers and sisters in Christ, but God is also at work in your life in a unique way. Thanks be to God that we have both unity and diversity in the body of Christ. We all have different testimonies, backgrounds, lenses, and gifts, but God is the same God to all of us. When we follow Him, He is alive and at work in each of us. We should each seek to embrace the unique story, gifting, and context God has given us to be used by Him to bring more into the body of Christ.

• When have you been tempted to compare your gifts to others?
• How does a goal of unity in Christ encourage you as you serve with the unique gifts God has given you?
• Pray and ask God to remind you and your brothers and sisters in Christ about the unity you have in Him, even as you serve in different ways.