Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Wednesday, 11 June 2014 "If I have the gift…but I don't have love, I'm nothing"

Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Wednesday, 11 June 2014 "If I have the gift…but I don't have love, I'm nothing"
Daily Scripture:  1 Corinthians 12:26 When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with various languages? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. Moreover, I show a most excellent way to you.
13:1 If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing. 3 If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing.
Reflection Questions:
Your gifts, Paul told the Corinthians, are unique and wonderful. What's more, it is important to develop your gifts and use them. But Paul also reminded his readers that their gifts were not tools to outdo others in a quest for human power or glory. Be who God made you to be, and work together for God in heaven's spirit of love.
In the first part of today's passage, Paul asked several questions that all assumed the answer, "No." In various ways he asked, "Are we all gifted in the exact same ways?" Paul said "you are the body of Christ" collectively, but you are also "individually members of it." Reflect on what makes you unique. What are your unique interests, talents, and passions? What are some ways in which your uniqueness can join God's mission, and equip you to work with God for the good of others?
Paul believed each person has unique gifts. Yet after teaching about that, he boldly said in verse 31, "…I am going to show you an even better way." Then he said clearly that nothing matters in God's eyes (not even faith!) if you don't have love. What matters most is love, not gifts, good deeds, power, or knowledge. God means you to use your gifts based on love, not on selfish interests. Is love the main driving force in how you use your gifts, or some other motivation?
Today's Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for blessing me with unique gifts, talents, and interests. Help me embrace the person you have made me to be, and then use my unique abilities to contribute to your mission in the world and the good of others. Amen.
Insight from Rev. Steven Blair
Rev. Steven Blair is the Congregational Care Pastor of Live Forward and Live Well Emotional Wellness Ministry. www.cor.org/liveforward
The Shadow Side of Spiritual Gifts and a Better Way
Wednesday, 11 June 2014 - 1 Corinthians 12:26 When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with various languages? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. Moreover, I show a most excellent way to you.
13:1 If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing. 3 If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing.
There are a host of great resources that can help us discover how we tick. There is a Myers-Briggs Personality Test that can help us understand why we are wired to behave in a particular way. (I am an ESFJ which might explain a lot).   You can take the Strength Finder test by Tom Rath and learn the particular strengths that you offer an organization. There are resources and classes that the church offers related to our Spiritual Gifts. While each of these tools is helpful for understanding ourselves and others, there are two dangers to having this knowledge.
1) One danger is that we can prioritize our gifts and strengths above (or below) others.   We would rather our boss know we have the strength of Leadership than Caring. We might elevate Boldness over Cooperation.   Knowing our strengths and spiritual gifts might make us wish we were somebody besides ourselves.
2) There is a deeper, second danger.   We like to impress. We like to do things in the area of our talent. The problem behind knowing our strengths and spiritual gifts is that in can persuade us from engaging in other actions. God does not want us to only choose comfortable areas of service.
I have heard some people (not in this church of course) who have said: “Caring for the poor and learning their names is not my spiritual gift.” “Playing with children is not my thing.” “I was born a leader and am not great with following directions.” Too often, knowing our strengths and giftedness has functioned to give us permission to say “No” to other important areas.
I think the Apostle Paul saw these two dangers happening in Corinth.   After spending Chapter 12 talking about all the spiritual gifts, tipping his hat to each one, he ends the chapter by saying “Strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.” The very next thing Paul says is his famous chapter on Love.    To a group of people who had become overly specialized regarding their spiritual gifts, Paul makes this very clear, bold statement.
Each of you can love and it is the best spiritual gift.
It doesn’t matter what your strength test or spiritual gift inventory says, you have the spiritual gift of loving others. You can do it AND you are expected to do it. Gone are the excuses of “greeting the new person is my row is not my spiritual gift.” Go and Love. Gone are the excuses of “not my spiritual gift to serve in that way.” Go and Love.
Yes, there are places where we must draw healthy boundaries for our time. Yes, there are areas where we may choose to focus our time based on our personal strengths.   But people will know that we are Christians by our love. You don’t have to have the spiritual gift of picking up trash, calling a homebound relative, giving money to a meaningful cause, encouraging a coworker, listening to a family member, in order to do it. You have the spiritual gift of Love and it is the best, most excellent gift.
Go and Love.
-------