One Body, Many Minds

​Like anyone else, my friends and I have different talents. I excel at writing. One of my friends is great at chemistry. Another is good at making pop culture references. Still another is studying to be a nurse and seems to know everything that there is to know about the human body, diseases, and the medical field. However, these differences don’t change the fact that we’re friends.

The Body of Christ

The same goes for the body of Christ. In Romans 12:3-6, Paul writes, ​“For by the grace given me, I say to every one of you, do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself in sober judgement, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith.” We’ve all heard sermons and read devotions about the concept Paul discusses: together, with our various talents being used for one divine goal, we are stronger.  However, combining all our strengths leads to another asset: we are willing and able to give because everyone is sharing a talent the way people share dishes at a potluck. When you think about our different gifts that way, it makes sense that joining our talent with others for good is a way of serving God. 

---

​
Ultimately, you can rest assured, knowing that no matter what your gifts are, you can use them to contribute to the amazing banquet of talents that God has provided here on earth. 

---

"There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work."  1 Corinthians 12:5-6 (NIV)

​"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."  Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

---

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."  1 Peter 4:10-11 (NIV)

What gifts has God given to you?

Elizabeth Scheibl is a former intern and current Resident Supervisor at New Beginnings. She is still an English major and History minor at Wisconsin Lutheran College. In her spare time, she likes reading, writing, and standing on chairs and singing.

---