Gifted to Gift
Over the past two weeks these posts have worked through Romans 12:1-2. This one will focus on Romans 12:3-8.
This week we are going to see that we are to have a mindset of humility amongst each other, not valuing anyone above another based upon attributes that we may like, prefer, or enjoy more than others. Not attempting to be like this world. Why? Because what we have, in this Christian new life, is a gift from God for a purpose, not a skill developed by us.
God saves us and gifts us that we might bless those around us, we must give our lives for the church and those around us.
In verse 1a Paul gives us the basis for his appeal, the mercies of God. In verses1b-2, his appeal is for Christians to present their lives as living sacrifices. Verse 3 begins with his reasoning. Why? “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” - Rom. 12:3-8
Be humble because we have all been given gifts in Christ. Be humble because all those gifts differ in many different ways. Paul is concerned with teaching the church in Rome humility and action. God gave the gifts to people so be humble. Also, God gave them to you, so use them! These gifts are God’s means of grace for building up his Church.
In China they have implemented a social credit system. Bad driving and debt could get you downgraded in the social ranking system. Like private credit scores, a person's social score can move up and down depending on their behavior. A video was posted recently that showed a person getting a louder ring when they were contacted by someone with a lower credit score so everyone around you knows that you are being contacted by a person with a low social credit score. Social media, although in a free market in America is often times used the same way amongst people. People will ratio people online, dox them, or cancel them if they don’t like what they are saying. The world has always used shame, and with social media it only seems that fear of shame drives more and more of our world.
But, God has made a new people, for Himself, and these things ought not to be common with a group of people who have a new nature! Conformity to this world is to compare ourselves to others and to take pride in those we think we are better than. But, the Church, God’s people is a place of freedom from the worlds system. In Christ’ Church we are a people humble and free, not prideful and afraid. We are a people gifted to gift.
The people of God have all been gifted gifts in the Christian life, the greatest gift being Christ Himself. We are each gifted uniquely, and this is meant to humble us in relation to one another, not attempt to pay back the gifts, or compare the gifts, but to enjoy and use them. We must affirm the gifts we see in each other and glorify the Giver of the gifts. In light of God’s mercies, we must humbly give ourselves to one another. We must not be conformed to this world and its system of shame but be transformed by the renewing of our minds in this truth. Renewed in the reality that God has gifted us to use our gifts to bless those around us. We must live our lives for the Church and those around us and not for ourselves.
We have seen God’s mercies, we have seen our need for humility, and that God saves us and gifts us that we might bless those around us, we must give our lives for the church and those around us.
Without the mercies of God we walk through this life conforming to a worldly mindset that is set on ourselves, with our lives at the center. We will view our church family wrongly, and we miss out on the new mindset that can only come through Christ, one of humility, recipients of gift and willingly and joyfully sharing those gifts with one another.
What mindset are you living with each day? What drives you when you come to church and interact with people, or think about what you will spend your time and money on? Paul shows that in Christ, God has given us a new mindset, one gifted to us through the mercy of Christ. Therefore, we must be humble and use our gifts to serve those around us.
Persevere, Joey Turner Pastor of Student Ministry