A Freeing Reality

I've been wanting to write this post for days now. I mean, what do you say when something you have waited years for finally happens? Besides that, my heart has been so full the last two Sundays that I haven't even had the words to put on paper. I'm not sure I do now. We should know in just a few paragraphs.

In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul says there are many gifts that all come from the same Spirit. The Message says it like this:

God's various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! ...All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when. 

I don't know the whys and hows and wherefores of the gifting. I know what my gifts are. I can usually see others' gifts pretty readily. But I don't know why God chose certain people to receive certain gifts and others to receive certain other gifts. I just know that He gave us the gifts we have and He gave them to us to strengthen and serve the body of Christ. And I know that He didn't make any mistakes when He gave us our particular gifts.

The blessing behind this is that we can celebrate all gifts. We can celebrate all people using their gifts in the Body. We can honor God by serving well in our areas of giftedness without pridefully comparing our gifts with someone else's. We can honor God by honoring all who serve.

What a precious and freeing reality.

As we step into that reality in our church family, I am grateful to the women who have gone before me...those who served graciously and humbly in their areas of giftedness that matched the limitations placed on women and those who served graciously and humbly outside their areas of giftedness because that is where the limitations allowed them to serve. Both of your paths have opened up doors for women today that we thought might remain shut forever.

I am grateful to the women who serve beside me...those who pour their heart and soul into whatever gift and calling that God has unmistakably laid on them. You are truly servant hearts!

I am grateful to all the men who have taken up the cause of their wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters...especially their sisters in Christ...to recognize and honor all the ways women can serve the body of Christ.

And to the women who come after me, I pray that the door will always be open for you to serve your church family in all the ways God has uniquely gifted each of you.