Reflections on Paul

Number 9

In Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians we learn in the very first sentence that God calls us to do his will. Paul was called to be an apostle and he so states in very plain language. He goes on to remind the church in Corinth, through a message just as relevant today, that through Christ we are sanctified so we “are not lacking in any spiritual gifts.”

Later in the letter Paul talks at great length about how God has created each of us to seek certain gifts, charisms, bestowed on us by the Holy Spirit so we each might have a role to play in the building of his body which is the church. Spiritual gifts are not talents or attributes like speed, strength, intelligence or attractiveness but are, rather, gifts intended to empower us to become effective ministers on his behalf. In chapter 12 Paul references some of the gifts of the spirit such as the expression of wisdom, the expression of knowledge, healing and so on. He compares the gifts to parts of the body and we are challenged to not “consider (one part of the body) less honorable…”  Paul taught us to not exalt the possession of any particular part of the body over another because honor is given to the body as whole. He said if “one part is honored, all parts share its joy.”

The underlying theme is one of humility. In considering this, I thought about an old aphorism about pride which comes in the form of a cutting personal insult attributed to former football coach Barry Switzer who said of some unfortunate person, “He was born on third base and has went through life thinking he hit a triple.” We can be like that, we humans can and those of us who work in the service of God can live up the full measure of Switzer’s insult as well as anyone. When we engage in service or the ministry of God, we can be filled up with pride which can cause us to forget who is the minister and who is God.

Look to 1 Cor 3:6-8: “I planted, Apollos watered but God caused the growth. Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth.” I need to constantly remind myself service is a demand to seek humility for having been called and an opportunity to be grateful for the chance to be a conduit of the gifts granted me by God. Whatever we accomplish we achieve only when we become willing to humbly serve his will and not our own.

Peace