Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Friday, 18 July 2014 "We have different gifts"

Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Friday, 18 July 2014 "We have different gifts"
Daily Scripture: Romans 12:4-6 In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.
6-8 If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don’t take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get bossy; if you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate; if you’re called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.
Reflection Questions:
The apostle Paul was very clear: God has equipped each of us to function best by using our particular gifts. One of the potential glories of life's second half is that, because there is a larger store of life experience to draw on, most of us are better able to know clearly what our gifts are. But just knowing them is of little value—as Paul told the Romans, the real key is to put them to use in serving God and others.
Which of your gifts and talents—the things that you do the very best—have you used the most in your life? In what ways has that gift or gifts deepened and enriched your service to God and others? What profound sense of satisfaction and gratitude do you experience as you reflect on how that gift has made your life and the lives of others better?
Is there a gift or gifts that you have not used very much? If so, what reason(s) can you identify for why you've kind of left that particular ability on the shelf? Reflect on the urgent, imperative tone of Paul's counsel to the Romans: "If your gift is service, devote yourself to serving," and so on. Ask God to help you find ways to put your underused gift(s) to work for God's Kingdom.
Today's Prayer:
Lord God, thank you for equipping me with gifts and talents to serve. Thank you for the joy I've already experienced in using your gifts. Embolden me if there are gifts you want me to use more fully. Amen.
CROSSROADS-Navigating the Second Half of Your Life
Pastor Clayton Smith and Dave Wilson (left) wrote the interviews featured in this week’s Insights blog. The full stories will be published in an upcoming book: Journey to Significance, to be published by Beacon Hill in early 2015
Myron is a retired urgent care doctor who says he had “no good plan for retirement.” He just wanted to be loose and carefree. He spent his time following college baseball and the so-called “good life.”
When Myron’s brother died of cardiac arrest at a bridge tournament, it made a big impact. He and his wife joined Weight Watchers, lost a lot of weight and got involved. Later Myron’s wife started attending studies at Church of the Resurrection. Myron got involved in Alpha and then Disciple. They decided to join the church.
In 2007, Myron responded to the new Congregational Care Minister program, to help pastors provide care. At first he just thought the busy work would keep him occupied.
When the pastor he was helping asked him to visit members in the hospital, his initial comment was, “I don’t like seeing patients.” The pastor encouraged him to try visiting a few times, and see how it went. He went—and as he expected, he didn’t like it. But as he was going back to his car, he says he clearly heard a voice telling him that he had been given some great gifts to share—and that his self-serving reaction was not very pleasing. Shaken by the experience, he decided to try putting his heart into the ministry of visiting patients.
Today, after 7 years as a CCM, he is a blessing and inspiration to many, and now loves what he once thought he didn’t like. His second half of life has indeed become one of significance.
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