In this passage, Paul is reminding the church that within the body of Christ, there are a variety of gifts. Each is given and each is enacted by the Spirit of God. This wisdom should help us to recognize and appreciate the gifts of others, while at the same time challenging us to do the same with ours. It is a call to be good stewards of the gifts we are given, to hone these gifts, and to be willing and ready to share them. A lot of the time, I find myself comparing my gifts to those of others and all-too-often, slide down the slope into self-criticism or envy. To do this, though, reveals a lack of gratitude for what God has done to equip me for a specific calling in different times and places.
Of the gifts listed in this reading, do you feel you have any of them? What other gifts have you been given? In what ways do you appreciate and share these gifts? How might God be challenging you to use these gifts in answering a specific call?
Offer a prayer of praise and gratitude for the variety of gifts represented in yourself and in the people you know. Commit yourself to a more intentional practice of affirming these gifts.
