"These [in Berea] were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." - Acts 17:11
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(3) And because of God's gracious gift to me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you should. Instead, be modest in your thinking, and judge yourself according to the amount of faith that God has given you. (4) We have many parts in the one body, and all these parts have different functions. (5) In the same way, though we are many, we are one body in union with Christ, and we are all joined to each other as different parts of one body. (6) So we are to use our different gifts in accordance with the grace that God has given us. If our gift is to speak God's message, we should do it according to the faith that we have; (7) if it is to serve, we should serve; if it is to teach, we should teach; (8) if it is to encourage others, we should do so. Whoever shares with others should do it generously; whoever has authority should work hard; whoever shows kindness to others should do it cheerfully.

Good News Bible copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society.

These six verses are all tied together by humility—that one should not think of himself more highly than he ought. God has put us each in the body as it pleases Him, so we should not think that we, as, say, the toe are better than the knee because the toe cannot do the knee's job. God thinks of the toe just as highly as He does of the knee, but if He has put us as a toe, why not in faith do the job of a toe because that is what God wants us to be? If He had wanted us to be a knee, He would have put us in the body as a knee, but He made us to be a toe, so be happy as a toe! Do a toe's work in faith!

Paul tells us to think soberly, logically, and seriously, that as God has dealt to each a measure of faith, we in faith can consider our place in the church and deal with it. So, whatever we are to do, do it! Do it with all the gifts and skills God has given—but do not try to do another's job. It is his job to do diligently, not ours. God put us in the body to do a specific job, our job not his; otherwise, He would have given us his job!

If we have been given the job to exhort, then we should exhort. If it is our job to minister and serve others, serve—but do not take another's job to prophesy. Paul is saying, "In lowliness of mind, be content where you are because God has obviously put you there for a reason. If you do the job God has given you, you are fulfilling His will." The church, then, can be united because the members are not competing over each other's responsibilities.

— Richard T. Ritenbaugh

To learn more, see:
Psalm 133 (1998)



 

Topics:

Body Analogy

Covetousness

Desire

Gifts

God's Blessing

God's Work

Humility

Meddling

Obligation

Personal Responsibility

Service

Sober (minded)

Unity

Works




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