Every Christian has been given a spiritual gift at the moment of conversion that he/she has the privilege of exercising within the body of Christ for the building up of the church. This, too, is a matter of stewardship.
1 Peter 4:7-11 tells us, “The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies- in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Serving one another by the exercising of our spiritual gifts is one of the ways that we love one another and build up the church for the glory of God and the expansion of His kingdom. The exercising of our spiritual gifts is not for us to call attention to ourselves, but to call attention to Jesus’ grace by which we have the privilege to serve others.
This is a good quote: “Different Christians will have different functions in the body, or course, but it is the duty of every Christian to serve every other Christian in love and humility. Let us then work, and work hard, and work together, not to advance ourselves or our denominations or our paltry kingdoms, but to advance Christ’s upside down kingdom…”
That upside down kingdom is one of servanthood. Our spiritual gifts are gifts to be stewarded for the sake of His kingdom and not ours. So, how can we steward them faithfully?
There are at five least ways to faithfully steward our spiritual gifts within the body of Christ:
1) With diligence
2) With the ability God supplies
3) With humility
4) In their proper place in the body
5) In love
How’s your exercising today—spiritually speaking, of course?
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