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. (Romans 12:3–8, ESV)
Sometimes I stop to marvel at the wisdom God displayed in creating the human body. When I observe how quickly a cut heals on my child's knee or how much information passes over my five senses in the matter of just a few minutes, I just cannot fathom the depth of the riches of God's knowledge. I sure am glad that he gave us body parts that have different functions. Someone who is clumsy might say that they are "all thumbs." We use it as a figure of speak but don't take it literally. But what if it was literal. What if you actually met someone who was composed entirely of thumbs? What if it didn't seem strange to you because you played bridge with a guy who was all feet and say someone at the gym who was all heads as well? I know, this is pretty silly. But it underscores an important biblical truth -- the fact that God made us all unique and has given us gifts that are just as diverse as we are. Here in Romans 12 we are told that God gives us gifts when he saves us (1 Corinthians 12-14 is the most complete treatment of the subject). These gifts are manifestations of His grace which give us divinely-enabled skills that allow us to play a special role in God's work. For some, it may be teaching while others may an uncanny ability to spot and meet physical needs. The point it that we're not all the same and that's a great thing. If a real human body truly was composed entirely of thumbs (or feet, hands or arms), it could do very little. Each body part has an important role to play. We cannot put a premium on one part over the other. The same is true in God's body, composed of Christians everywhere (1 Cor. 12:12-19). Everyone is needed, from the pastor or musicians up front to the unsung hero who makes coffee for all the visitors, God looks upon all of us with importance in his family. What a relief it is that we are not all the same. Not only has God created us uniquely but he has gifted us uniquely. The body of Jesus Christ is blessed to have you on board. Check out the lists in the above passages and discover where your gifts lie. You just might be surprised at the blessings God has in store for you as you jump into your role in the Body of Jesus Christ.
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