Our Many Parts

“Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.” Romans 12:4-6

You have a gift. You may have a few gifts! These gifts are meant to be used in such a way they glorify the Lord. Part of that is sharing them with others in life. Through that sharing, other’s are supposed to see the hand of God touching their lives.

We are humans. We get annoyed and frustrated with each other. There’s no doubt about that at all.

For me, I can say, the majority of the things I get frustrated with are when others aren’t behaving or acting in ways I believe they should. Worse still, if they don’t do things as well as or in the way I do.

I have a tendency to think others should act, think, and do, exactly as I would.

However, they do not.

I have to stop myself from getting so frustrated with this.

Romans 12 is a good reminder to me, among many other bible verses that I am to focus on and put to use those things which God has given me to use and apply.

Extending from verse 6, it moves into more encouragement to pursue those things which are in your wheelhouse.

“If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.” vs 7-8

Of course, this is not an exhaustive list, but it’s a start and I think it’s more to say, as he was writing, “You have ‘things’ that you are good at. Use them and practice them. Stop expecting others to be like you, but instead you worry about you and less about others”.

I tend to want others to be like I think they should be and that’s not a good trait.

Other’s are called to be like God has called them to be and that’s what matters.

I have people in my life that are slow to respond to external stimulus. I have other people in my life that are quick to respond to the same.

The slow responders help me, in my relationship to them, to maybe not act so impetuously. I have a tendency to do this.

Yet, the quick to respond, of which I am one, tend to get things done.

We need both.

Captured in an instant, this herd of 6 mules PERFECTLY encapsulates our family. Rob, Joelle, Ed, Levi and Elise…and of course, hiding behind the bushes…Jacob. If you look really hard, the Elise mule looks very annoyed. Perfect!

I was talking to my middle son who is a Marine. He’s a bit frustrated with his life at the moment. This kid, since he could walk and talk, always has had difficulty making decisions. He’s always afraid if he is to commit to one thing, there are other things he will miss out on. That’s true. So instead, he often does nothing and misses out on everything.

Contrast that with his brother, who is in the Special Forces doing utterly cool things with relative frequency, now married.

Jacob in his search for a wife has had difficulty making choices in ladies.

In our talks he expressed he wished and perhaps he should attempt to be more like Levi.

“I mean look at Levi, he’s jumping out of planes, doing really cools stuff and has a wife now. If I were more like him casting caution to the wind, I might be farther ahead”.

Maybe.

Levi, if you were to talk to him would express certain regrets that making quick, almost snap decisions have cost him.

So in this example, each road and each pathway of life comes with it’s own set of frustrations.

I tend to be more like Levi. He get’s that from me. My life has had a lot of messes because of this tendency to act quickly without thinking things through all the way.

I don’t regret most for it’s always seemed to work out.

Not, however, without a lot of pain and frustration along the way.

Paradoxically, you may recall from my previous writings that I took FAR too long to exit the flower business in pursuit of what God has put me here for.

That chapter has opened up now so we will see how that works out.

I’ll close out today with an encouragement. Look at Romans 12:3 and then vs 16. Marinate on them today. Then assess your own life and think about where and how you can adequately use the gifts you have, those things you find which come naturally to you, to bless someone else today.

Be the best you you can be. Independent, confidently you.

“…I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.” vs 3

“Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!” vs 16

God smiles on us when we show others we care through the various ways in which we can and may touch another today.

Peace be with you.

rob out