3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
This is often a repeated theme eh? So often in Romans Paul reminds the reader to not be thinking better of themselves than they should. He gives a reason for it, always tracing it back to God. Here Paul tells us HOW we are to think. We are to think with sober judgement (ESV) or use good sense and measure (CEV) or be modest in your thinking (GNB). Different translations say it differently eh? The point is to stop and think about your abilities with a clear head without inflating yourself. We judge by the measure of faith God has given to us.
Isn't that an interesting statement "according to the measure of faith that God has assigned". So .. does that mean that God grants the faith that we have? Which explains why some folk have seem to have more faith than others? AND the question then comes to me... does it matter? For it one has faith the size of a mustard seed one can move mulberry trees, just be saying MOVE. (Luke 17) So the size of one's faith doesn't matter does it? What matters is that we have faith, and we realize that that faith, comes from God.
We are to use that faith as we look at ourselves and judge ourselves fairly.
4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Why do we judge ourselves? Because we are part of one body, and just like a physical body on a person this body is made up of different parts with their own skill sets. These gifts differ according to the grace given to us. All different... for instance one might be a servant, other a teacher, another giver, another a leader and another who shows mercy to others. Different skills, different needs, different graces shown.
And with those gifts given we are to use them. HOW? By being generous, zealous, cheerful, serving, teaching, giving, leading members in this body of Christ, a body made up people believing in him, a body chosen by God himself.
Pretty awesome eh?
What say you?
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One of the themes I have been coming across often lately is that of gifts/abilities. I find that it is so easy for me to think I need to do things differently. After all, aren't we encouraged by our sisters to constantly participate more, do more, share more, open our homes more, and on and on? But then I run across a passage like this and see God gently reminding me that I have specific gifts and that those are only ones I am required to make use of.
ReplyDeleteGood post, again. Thanks!
:) yes we are, so often encouraged to do more. But that's where the reminders of learning form Mary and Martha come in too. Learning to rest and listen. If you are so busy about doing what others think you should do rather than listening to the calling God has placed it won't work.
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