August 22: Get involved

But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.    (1 Corinthians 12:7-11 — New American Standard Bible)

Being a man or woman of faith in Corinth was an uphill battle when Paul wrote these words, much like it is in any large city today. Idolatry, sexual immorality, unbelief, greed, and poverty were a daily reality, and being faithful to God meant having the courage to be radically different. One means of helping these new Christians to stay strong was to get them plugged into a strong church. It’s possible, but extremely hard to stay faithful to God all by yourself. We need others to encourage, challenge, and support us. When we stumble, we need a friend to help us back to our feet.

This is so different than many people’s view of church today. They appear on Sunday morning for an hour and then put their faith and good behavior on the shelf until next Sunday. They commit to attending church every Sunday but are not at all interested doing anything more than that. When they’re in church on Sunday morning, they’re there to receive, to fulfill an obligation, that’s all. They have no desire to save souls, or to invite the lost and suffering to church to find God and the answer to their problems. They don’t want to be a part of helping someone grow in their faith, or to be challenged to grow in faith themselves. They’re being “fed” in the Sunday meeting and that’s enough for them.

Wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, distinguishing of spirits, tongues, and the interpretation of tongues are manifestations of the Holy Spirit that are supposed to be present in a church. The pastor should manifest several of these gifts so that the people coming to his meetings can be helped and changed — and the Spirit determines which ones are needed and makes them available — but these manifestations should not be limited to the pastor and his wife. Members of the church should also manifest these gifts. A real church is like a body — every part, big or small, has a specific function, and some have more than one, but each part contributes something big or small to the functioning of the body as a whole. Not only does this mean that each member feels useful and necessary, it also means that the church is prepared for any circumstance it might encounter because its members have varying gifts.

If we want more we have to give more. “Give and you shall receive” was a promise that Jesus repeated over and over again. We need to allow God to use us to rescue the lost, and to help those in need. We need to be humble to receive help, and then turn around and help others. The church is much more than a Sunday morning service, it’s a way of life.