Different but working together

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6 NIV)

You would think it would be obvious but many seem to struggle with the idea that people are different. People often think that just because they are good in a particular area of service that everyone should be doing the same thing they are doing. Just because I’m capable of doing something doesn’t mean that everyone will be. And besides, if everyone is doing the same thing that I am doing there is quite a bit being left out that needs to be done!

This is a principle found throughout scripture but well illustrated by the analogy Paul used later in this chapter of the human body. Aren’t you glad that we have different parts in our body to do perform various functions? If some of them weren’t there, we might not be able to breathe, or eat, or hear, or walk! We realise how important this is for our physical bodies, but how much more important is it for the body of Jesus?

Through the years I’ve worked with teams within a congregation to either help start a new group of Christians or to help a group continue to grow. Once I was specifically asked to work with someone because they wanted someone just like them and thought I fit the bill! (I didn’t know that at the time I agreed to work with them.) The reality was I was very different and when that was figured out it resulted in a very poor working relationship. On the other hand, I once worked on a team where we were all quite different both in our strengths and in our personalities. Each person worked within an area of strength and the congregation thrived.

Let me repeat what I said earlier: just because I do something well doesn’t mean everyone should be doing what I’m doing. Because one person does something well doesn’t mean that he is more spiritual or a more mature Christian. As Paul wrote: “There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.” We are all serving Jesus in what we do, even if what you do is different from what I do.

Paul speaks here of three areas: gifts, service, and working. The gifts, in the context of this chapter, are not abilities we have but the miraculous gifts of the Spirit which the apostles gave to various Christians. These were needed at that time, but having no apostles today we should not be looking for this type of ‘gift’.

Service and working are very straightforward. There are areas in which we can serve and there is work we need to be doing. Again, yours may be different than mine, but we are still serving the same Master and, through us, it is the same God at work. What I do and where I serve isn’t any greater than what you are doing and where you are serving – it is just the areas where I have an influence using the abilities that I have, which ultimately are from God.

The real question for us is this: are we using our lives to further the work of Jesus? Do we take advantage of opportunities that are present when we can say or do something to encourage someone to follow him? Are we working as we can rather than sitting back and letting everyone else do it? Are we allowing God, Jesus and the Spirit to work through our lives in what we say and do?

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Image created with ChatGPT by Jon Galloway

Readings for next week: 1 Corinthians 10-15