I appreciate some parts of my body more than others. When I’m hungry and it’s time to eat I appreciate my teeth and tongue. When I want to research and read I appreciate my eyes. When it’s time to listen to Mozart I appreciate my ears. But what would life be like without elbows? No more combing my hair, no more hugs, no more talking on the phone…
In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul likens each of us and our God-given gifts to various parts of a physical body. Together we make up the body of Christ.
Paul also warns us not to desire another person’s gift, disparaging our own. I was the poster child for this. Over the years I tried way too many things that I wasn’t good at—but convinced I should be.
As a stay-at-home mom, I first tried my hand at sewing. Years before my mother-in-law had sewn some of her daughters’ clothes—so well that the local newspaper featured a photograph of all three in picture-perfect dresses. In stunning contrast, I inevitably chose the wrong fabric, sewed a seam crooked or neglected to wash the fabric before cutting the pattern pieces. One time I made a corduroy skirt that I thought I’d finally sewn well, only to realize after wearing it while singing on the worship team in front of the entire church that the nap on one half of the front was going the wrong direction!
Next I tried growing a vegetable garden, another subject about which I knew absolutely nothing. Both my mother and my father-in-law loved growing things and JB had inherited his dad’s green thumb—which he continues to use to this day—growing dozens of plants and flowers. I, however, had a black thumb For whatever reason I decided to plant, among other things, Swiss chard. We had four small children by that time and none of us even liked Swiss chard. Not surprisingly, few of my vegetables made it to the table.
It took decades for me to realize that I’m not a “thing” person. My sweet spot does not include working with fabrics or seeds, and definitely not scrapbooking paraphernalia! I’m most content behind the scenes and working with ideas—researching, compiling information, organizing concepts, and condensing others’ ideas. I love “seeing” things in God’s Word and sharing those insights with others. The only place I create anything worthwhile is in the kitchen.
But now that I finally know and accept this about myself I can embrace my strengths and not worry about my weaknesses. Life is not a competition! We’re each here to use the gifts we’ve been given for the benefit of others, not so we can say we beat somebody else.
In 2 Timothy 4:7 Paul wrote, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith…” And that last phrase is the goal—continuing in a walk of faith as we use our gifts to help others.
