Day 29 - Gift-Distributing Love

"If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal."  - I Corinthians 13:1

I read a lot today about 'discovering your spiritual gifts.'  And I think it's a good concept - to know your strengths and how to use them well.  But McKnight puts forth a good reminder in this day's reading... 

We may “have” all these things and still, to quote Gordon Fee, our life “before God adds up to zero” if our gifts are not swept into love for others. If our spiritual gifts are not animated by love, they are little more than business transactions.

The key is to remember that gifts are given to us, they are not something we created for ourselves. 

Let us stretch out our arms with thanks to God, for God gave these gifts to us. They are not ours; they are God’s gifts to us. We give thanks to God and his gracious love for what we have received.

If we maintain a thankful, grateful, and humble attitude towards the gifts God has given us, then perhaps we will be able to see this next point that McKnight makes...

"Paul wants us to see that we are distributors of grace.  God has given us something, not so we can bundle it all up into safe storage for ourselves... but so that we can give it as a gift to others."

I was struck by the thought that the gifts I have been given can become conduits of God's grace and love to others.  Not that it's a totally new idea, but I just want to keep it clearly in my mind that what God has given to me, He wants me to use to give love and grace to others.  It's not for me to be selfish with, or to ignore, but to give. 

And then finally, McKnight reminds me that I'm not the only one given gifts - God gives others gifts, too.  And then he says this, "Only when we see that our gift is part of the team called the body of Christ do we convert our gifts into the service of love for others."

Now this may seem silly, because of course God gives everyone gifts, but here is how this lesson is hitting home for me.  I would say that I have been given the 'gift' of leadership.  (with the disclaimer that I don't think I always do it very well, but I most always feel compelled or called to lead) !!  Anyways, in the bible study group that I am currently involved in, I find myself now in a leadership position but the grace that I am experiencing in this group is that my eyes have been opened to the gifts that everyone in the group has to offer and the burden of responsibility that I once would have felt should fall completely on me is no longer there....  it has been graciously distributed among all of us as I realize we are all part of the 'team' and we are learning together how to use our gifts in love and service to each other.  It's great! :)