You have been uniquely gifted by God to make a contribution to the common good of your church. Think about that. God has gifted you in a specific way and that gifting should contribute to the common good and to the unity of those with whom you find a church home. 

This is what the Apostle of Paul says. “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.”  1 Corinthians 12:4-11

Unity in the church is not as frequent as we would desire. Many of us have left churches that were in conflict and where there seemed to be more ill will than good will. Where this is the case, it is often because we are not operating out of our God-given giftedness but in the flesh.

Seven times in these verses, Paul emphasizes the fact that these gifts are given to us by the same Lord, the same God and the same Spirit. God, in his infinite wisdom, distributes His gifts to His people by His Spirit for His work in the church. As Paul says, each of our gifts contribute to the common good of the congregation.

Now it is interesting that Paul was writing to the church in Corinth here which was a very divided church. Church divisions are not a new thing. They exist because we often live out of our lower nature rather than God’s nature. So Paul is making the point to the Corinthians that if each of them were living out God’s call on their life with His gifting, that the church would be unified rather than divided. After all, each of our spiritual gifts are given by the same Lord. A divided church is a sign that its people are not contributing to the common good through the use of their gifts. In fact, many churches have more spectators than they do participants and spectators find it easy to express their opinions without getting involved. 

So here are the questions today. What gift has God given to you? Are you actively using it for the common good in your church? And do you have a commitment to the unity of the church, knowing that the same Lord gives each of us different gifts for the common good? Are you a spectator or participant? 

Father, I thank you today that you have gifted me uniquely to contribute to your work in the local church and in your kingdom. Forgive me when I have been a spectator rather than a participant. I pray that through the use of my gifts that I would contribute to the common good of my church. May we be unified in you as you are the Lord of each one of us. Amen.