Services

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. ICorinthians 12:4-6, NRSV

Gifts, services, activities – what we have to offer the world, the medium we choose to offer our gifts, and the actions we take to show our love for God, self, and neighbor. It’s the adventure of a lifetime to discern, pick, and work in ways unique to us – no one can offer what we can, and we cannot offer what someone else can. We shouldn’t waste our days worrying about whether we have gifts, or whether our gifts are worthy: we do, and they are.

So find your place, your service, where your gifts are needed. Put your heart into it. Accept the praise of others with thanks, and a grain of salt. Don’t mistake your worth with how others value or do not value you. Serve.

Remember, you are a delight to God. That’s why you are here, beloved child of the Creator.

Gifted

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. ICorinthians 12:4-6, NRSV

All of us are born with gifts unique to us. The combination of who we are, where we live, and the community that surrounds us affects how our gifts are recognized and fostered – or whether they are recognized and fostered at all. It’s why mentors are so important: they see in others something precious, and they offer their time, patience, and wisdom to help it grow.

But recognizing and investing aren’t enough – a mentor has to do this without trying to determine or definitively define the purpose for which the gift was given. That is up to the Spirit. But it takes trust in God and others to do this.

A mentor can’t co-opt another’s gift or path for recognition or benefit – it’s time to foster the accomplishments of others rather than add more accomplishments to one’s own list. Generosity and maturity are required to do this.

Sometimes, it’s not about the ones whose gifts we see so readily. Sometimes, it’s about taking the time to look deeply at those whose gifts aren’t visible – whose value has been overlooked or questioned. The gifts are there, no doubt.

Are we willing and able to see them?

Spirit Speak

Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says “Let Jesus be cursed!,” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 12:3, NRSV

In some of the occult films, werewolves can’t touch silver and vampires are kept at bay by garlic and crosses. In the same kinds of movies, the demons disguised as humans can’t touch crosses or holy water without harm, and can’t say the words God or Jesus. While such things make for interesting plot points, Paul isn’t writing about them. The power of words and speech isn’t that simple.

Paul has already mentioned idols that cannot speak, the ones people have left behind when the Spirit led them to follow Jesus. But what about idols that can speak, living people who entice with words? Just because someone is a gifted orator, or seems to be hijacked by the Spirit to speak in tongues, does not mean that the words are the Word of God (another name for Jesus). So how to tell the difference?

Look beyond the delivery to the content of what is being said.

Are the words honoring Jesus and his commandment to love God, self, and neighbor? Do the words point the way to an ever expanding inner life and an increasing generosity toward others? Then those words say Jesus is Lord.

Do the words shrivel the inner life, diminishing rather than deepening? Do the words demand devotion to someone or some ideal other than God and the coming reign of love? Does the speech vilify neighbor and justify harming self and others? Then they are a curse rather than a blessing.

In this age of so many loud voices and a cacophony of words, it’s a good idea to put them to the test before trusting their sources…

La Paloma, DeGrazia

Led Astray

You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. ICorinthians 12:2, NRSV

In the ’90’s, looking through the paper, I saw the comic strip Nancy; in it, she was playing with her virtual pets – feeding the cat, tossing a ball to the dog, making sure they were happy. In the last panel, the perspective widens out from Nancy at her computer to show the living, breathing pets she was ignoring.

Idols come in different shapes and sizes, and they are rarely villainous. What makes them idols is the power I give them.

Now Concerning…

What are the spiritual gifts, and how do you identify who has which one? Are they a measure of our worth, a means of comparing spirituality and godliness? Paul had quite a bit to say about such questions.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll take a look at his words. Who knows where they might lead us…such as:

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 1Corinthians 12:1, NRSV

Words have power – something Paul knew well. What is said or written can sway opinions, leading listeners and readers into greater understanding or leading them astray. Deceit can have tragic consequences, just as honesty can be life-giving. Whenever we offer words about the spiritual life, we would do well to take seriously the effect they could have on others.

To the best of his ability, Paul used his words to inform and uplift – to offer a nudge toward a deeper connection with God and neighbor, and a better sense of self. He writes, I do not want you to be uninformed because he wanted good things for others. That is a worthy goal, and a good indication that what follows this opening sentence in chapter twelve will be well worth reading…

A Worthy Life

Some days, it’s easy to mistake the life I’ve been given for something of little value or consequence. In the grand scheme of things, I’m here for a very short period of time, I interact with an absurdly limited number of people and places, and I’m too easily distracted and stymied by life’s inconveniences. I’ll be forgotten soon after I’ve returned to the ashes and dust that formed me. There won’t be any statues of me, or any lasting work of art that I’ll leave behind, no permanent evidence of my existence at all beyond records of my birth, marriage, and death tucked into a file cabinet or digital storage.

But if that’s how I see life, I’ve missed the point. Its goal is not to leave behind a marker to prove I lived or proclaim my worth. The point is to live the sacred time I’ve been given, and to honor the sanctity of all life around me. I’m meant to be a light that illuminates the path for others as they live out their own precious time – and as others have done for me.

Isn’t that more than enough?

Thank you, Martin Luther King, Jr., for lighting the way. And grateful thanks for all the others who have done the same.

You Have Considered…

It’s a mystery, why life finds us; why do atoms, molecules, cells, membranes come together to form our physical bodies? Why the mind, heart, and spirit that only we can bring to this time and this place – or any time and place, for that matter.

Rejoice in the life given to you, because you are the only one who will ever have it. Find the joy in the dreary days, the pain, the struggle – and especially in the days that seem to hold nothing of consequence.

There are any number of reasons to feel angry, hurt, or bored.

You only need one to live in joy.

A Sled and a Hill

Sliding

When was the last time you pulled a sled up a snowy hill, jumped on it, and whooshed all the way back to the bottom? Do you remember what it feels like – wind whipping, snow spraying, the sound of the sled against the snow? How many times did you tromp up and fly down the white hill before it was time to go home? Can you remember the sheer joy of it all, or do you remember only the cold feet and hands, the chapped lips? If given the chance, would you grab a sled and do it again?

Of course, it doesn’t have to be a sled on a hill. It could be a tire swing in the back yard, a pile of crisp leaves, waves on the beach, a polished bannister. Floating sticks a la Winnie the Pooh works, or any number of other things. They offer us wonder and drop us into the mystery of this world and our own lives. And that is no small thing.

I suspect that it might be the most direct way most of us come to what is most sacred – the sheer joy that there is this creation, and the wonder that you and I are part of it.

Mailbox Blessings

Masked Angels by Thom Nordquist (2020)

Every year, Thom Nordquist created a new card. I’m lucky enough to have several of them. This is one that came in 2020 – a lovely piece of art and connection in a time of isolation.

Magi by Thom Nordquist

Thom created the Magi card for an Advent activity – mailing post cards of Advent travelers out into the world to connect the Christ Church community in Plymouth with family and friends near and far a la Flat Stanley.

After Thom’s death, his wife Ellen gave me framed editions of the originals. They are in my work space year round and in my living room during the holiday season.

I admire the artistry in these cards. Even more, I am touched by the effort and intention that went into their creation. They are reminders that love and kindness, regard and concern, can show up in many forms. Such blessings make their way though that holy gate commonly known as a mailbox.

Carded

I have a couple of boxes filled with ones my husband sent, ones my sons created at school or home, and even one with my grandmother’s handwriting preserved inside. I use my favorites as bookmarks long after the day they arrived in my mailbox. They are little pieces of words and images that remind me of the ones who sent them and the occasion for the sending. Cards.

The one above is Saint Matthew, sent as a Christmas card from my mentor and college advisor, John Rouman. He was the one who introduced me to Greek Orthodoxy – something that ended up being the beginning of what would years later become my dissertation. Every time I see this card holding my place in my latest read, I think of him and how he changed my life.

Not all cards are touchstones to such things, but many are signs of care and concern offered in a particular place and a particular time. As I begin this new year, I’m going to take a look at some of them. If you are inclined to do the same, get your stack of cards ready…