Today’s comments bother me in some ways. I know we each have a vital part within the Body of Christ to build each other up. Everyone has a role to play in encouraging and maturing others in their journey. But do we focus too much on the gift we think we have? There are many surveys that we can take to identify our specific gifting. Personally inventories can help us understand ourselves and others better. But I think we need to be careful that these surveys are human made, based on observation and collection of data. Do they limit our availability to the Spirit’s moving? Can our gift identification lead to pride and and self effort?
“Christian community is like the Christian's sanctification. It is a gift of God which we cannot claim. Only God knows the real state of our fellowship, of our sanctification. What may appear weak and trifling to us may be great and glorious to God. Just as the Christian should not be constantly feeling his spiritual pulse, so, too, the Christian community has not been given to us by God for us to be constantly taking its temperature. The more thankfully we daily receive what is given to us, the more surely and steadily will fellowship increase and grow from day to day as God pleases.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together
No comments:
Post a Comment