Spiritual Gifts: Celebrate Uniqueness and Diversity

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; ⁵and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; ⁶and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. ⁷To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

A few years ago, I had a life-changing and Spirit-led realization that has had profound implications for my life and ministry: there are no weaknesses, only gifts. I was always taught I had strengths and weaknesses in life, and to become a better student or athlete or person, I needed to work on my weaknesses. I would guess I am not the only one who was taught this or who thinks this way.  The problem with kind of thinking is that it encourages us to dwell in negativity about ourselves. While it can be good to try to improve and grow in certain areas, obsessing about where we fall short in life can not only be emotionally destructive, but also does not allow us to fully actualize the gifts that God has given us.

God has created all of us in God’s image (Genesis 1:27) and created us all with unique talents, gifts, and abilities. We are all different and we are all given gifts. It is our variety and uniqueness that reflects the image of God. When we fail to recognize our God-given gifts and identity, but instead focus on the ways in which we fall short, we distort God’s creation. When we continually compare ourselves to others and then go through an endless cycle of self-critique and self-loathing, we hamper our ability to live a faithful life, and more importantly we hinder God’s work in the world.

The truth is that we all have been given gifts by God, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, these gifts can be used for God’s work in the world. We all have gifts, but none of us, on our own have all the gifts needed to do God’s work. We need everyone, with all the gifts they bring, to do God’s work. The Apostle Paul uses the image of the church as the Body of Christ. The body has many members and while each part of the body has an important use, it can’t be a complete body on its own. (1 Corinthians 12:12-26) We need all parts of the body, working together in their own unique way, to fully live out who God has called us to be. So let us discover who God has created us to be and the gifts God has called us to use. Let us celebrate the gifts of others without envy or competition, but use all of our gifts for the common good.