Humility

1 Corinthians 12:4-11

“4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.”

God gives all believers gifts of the Spirit.  There are a variety of gifts and Paul listed a few, such as knowledge, wisdom, healing, prophecy, discernment, and speaking in tongues.  Some members of the Corinthian church believed that the more visible spiritual gifts (like tongues and teaching) were greater gifts than gifts that were not so visible and public (like discernment and wisdom).

The Corinthians were so prideful that instead of being thankful, they assigned a rank to the gifts of God.

Paul informed the Corinthians that all gifts were given and activated by the same Spirit for the glory of God and good of the community and the world.  No gift was to be frowned upon or looked down upon.  

All gifts of God are holy and sacred, given to us not as we deserve them… but as the sovereign God chooses.

“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself or herself more highly than he or she ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.” (Romans 12:3-8)

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)