Now There Are Diversities of Gifts ~Biblical Musings~

"Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal." 1 Corinthians 12:4-7


Our spiritual "talents" are not extraordinary abilities that we came by on our own. They are not meant to be flaunted or to cause us to think more highly of ourselves. We are all sinners, saved by grace, and by that same grace, given a gift. Our gifts are to be used responsibly for the good of others and the Kingdom.


"For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." 12:8-11


We cannot take any credit or glory for the gifts we've received. They are not from us. They are gifts that were freely given as God saw fit and can be taken away if used improperly. We should never use our gifts or talents as an excuse to think we are better than anyone else, because:


"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into on Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many...........And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?" 12:12-14 & 16-17


If we think our talents or gifts are less than others, we need to remember that:


"But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body?.........Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:..........Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular..........Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?" 12:18-19, 22, 27, 29-30


God has given each of us (Christians) a special gifts by his Spirit and we need to recognize it, use it for His glory and not think of ourselves more highly than we ought, because it's not of us. All of the good things we have come from God.....He has just loaned them to us for a while. Not because we deserve them, but to use for his glory.