Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Romans 12:6-8 -- On Developing our Capacity to Serve

"Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness."
Romans 12:6-8


These verses focus on some of the different gifts or talents that we have, and that it is important to focus on and develop those gifts.  Here, where it says "let us wait on" it basically means we should take the time to be diligent and devoted in developing those gifts.  I like that all of these gifts are focused on ways that we can serve others.  Even ruling; it shouldn't be about a power trip, but about helping people live and upholding just laws.  I also like that mercy and giving are shown as gifts, things that we can develop and be devoted to as well. :)
Sometimes it seems like the gospel is encouraging us to all be the same.  And in some ways, it definitely is.  God wants us to all believe, and love, and learn, and have him as our top priority.  He wants us to all to pray, read the scriptures, and work together to build a Zion society.  But he definitely doesn't want us to all have the same families or careers or talents or to all do the same things.  He doesn't want all of us to have the same hairstyles or personalities.  He's not asking us to become clones or robots or Borg.  He wants us to learn our own talents, and contribute as individuals to the group welfare.  It's kind of like 1 Corinthians 12:21: "And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you." We're all different, but also necessary.  We need each other to succeed.
Today, let's find out what we're good at, and pay attention to developing the gifts that God has given us in order to help serve God and the people around us.

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