All for One, One for All

“Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different activities, but the same God is active in everyone and everything.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6 CSB)

From the human standpoint we tend to evaluate ability, ministry, and activity on the basis of perceived worthy, or on how they may contribute to the larger task. Business is founded on this concept. A trained and competent manager, for example, is valued and compensated differently than a clerk. That is simply the world we live in and the way things work in business.

In the life of the church we see a somewhat different reality at work. The reality is expressed in the phrase “unity from diversity.” There are different gifts, ministries, and activities in the church, but they are all part of the whole and all important to the whole. The Author of them all is the Holy Spirit. Whatever gift, ministry, or activity the Holy Spirit thus gives each of us He gives for the benefit of the whole, and what that means is that we each should rejoice over everything the Holy Spirit gives us to do, whether it may be considered crucial or ordinary. Paul said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gives the growth.”

What God has asked of you in terms of spiritual gift, ministry, or activity should be received with great joy and carried out with excellence.

Lord, Today we rejoice in the fact that You have called each of us, gifted each of us, and use each of us in the work of Your kingdom. We rejoice in all that You give us to do in this day. Amen.