Awesome Group
Two days after the second meeting of the Bible study I had proudly nicknamed "Awesome Group," a couple got in touch to explain why they felt shut out. They pointed out that since I'd taught the Bible for most of the meetings, they'd never learned the names of everyone else in the room, much less any of their stories. I had acted like using my gift was the most important way we could spend time together.
Romans 12:3-21
For by the grace given to me, I say to every one of you: do not think of yourself more highly than you ought. Rather, think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith God has assigned. For just as we have many parts in one body, and not all the parts have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and each of us belongs to all the others. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: if prophecy, use it in proportion to your faith; if service, in serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who encourages, in encouragement; the one who gives, with single-hearted generosity; the one who leads, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with gladness. Let love be without pretense. Hate what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another warmly, as family; be the first to honor one another. Never lag in diligence; stay fervent in spirit; serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, stand firm in affliction, devote yourselves to prayer. Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not set your mind on lofty things, but be drawn to the company of the lowly. Never be wise in your own eyes. Pay no one back evil for evil; aim at what everyone can see is good. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, dear friends; leave room for God's wrath. For it is written: "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord." Instead: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in doing so you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.
Pride is one of the greatest threats to Christian community. It's hard to see my pride when I'm looking at my gifts. I think, "I'm helping people," not, "I'm making myself the center of attention." Paul redirects my attention. Instead of thinking too highly of myself, I should soberly think about myself as a recipient of God's grace. If it's a gift from him, then it's not about me. But the same principle cuts the other way, too. In one organization, I was discouraged from teaching. It was hard to trust God had assigned these gifts when no one wanted me to use them. Many women endure not being able to use their gifts because of their gender. But God's standard for thinking about ourselves is the measure of faith that he has assigned. God wants us to build communities where everyone can discover, develop, and share their gifts for the benefit of others. To put down a rebellion among the working-class citizens of Rome, the Roman Senate sent an orator to tell them one of Aesop's fables. The story explained that the common people were the hands and the feet of the body. But if they didn't feed the belly (the rich leaders), then the whole body would starve, and that would end up hurting the hands and the feet. In Rome, the body metaphor was used to justify oppression and exploitation. But Paul inverts the metaphor, because we are all members of Christ's body. Therefore, our allegiance to one another's well-being is an act of worship. Our loyalty to Christ, and our care for the members of his body, shouldn't be co-opted to serve other agendas. The fundamental rule is love without pretense. That's the standard for a healthy church: Do we sincerely love each other? Love is not mere sentiment. As it matures, it spills out into every area of life. It looks like avoiding evil and cherishing good. Instead of jockeying for status, we lift others up before ourselves. We nurture a shared passion for God, trusting in his promises, enduring persecution, and earnestly praying. Our love is tested by the obligation to care for those in need, opening our homes to one another, and most of all, by whether we can love our enemies. A long-time member of a small group I'm in spoke up at the end of the meeting. He said, "Everyone in this room is different. Everyone else I know is selfish. But you people are unselfish." It meant more because he doesn't believe in Jesus. But both he and Paul were seeing the same thing. Only Jesus lived like this. It's members of his body, filled with his strength, who conquer evil with good. Because that's what Jesus did when he gave his life on the cross. The couple could have exited our group, and they would have had a good reason to leave. I apologized, and they forgave me. I still struggled to hold back from sharing everything I had learned in seminary. But looking back at it now, I can see the gifts I didn't value were the ones that knit our group together.
Why might God want to give us different gifts and functions in his body?
Have you ever felt your church would be fine without you?
Whose gifts are you overlooking?
Ask God, "How could I be the first to honor someone who isn't noticed?" Then follow through.