to another, the working of miracles…I Cor. 12:10a, NRSV
These are the days of miracles and wonders, this is the long distance call. The Boy in the Bubble, Graceland, Paul Simon
You yourself are a miracle, a gathering of handed down genetics, dust, love, and some divine spark. Every living thing you see around you is miraculous. This day is an instance and an opportunity that will never come again.
Perhaps the gift of working miracles is just as dependent on the willingness of others to recognize a miracle when they see it as it is on the miracle worker’s ability to bring it about…
To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles…I Corinthians 12:7-9 NRSV
Jesus healed with compassionate touch, and taught his disciples to do so. Someone has fits, fever, blindness, or can’t speak: a plea for help, a touch, and health restored. Possession is transformed into inner freedom, darkness and pain to light and relief. The gift of healing continues to be given to this very day.
There are those who take advantage of the desperate and sick, turning suffering into a self-glorifying and profitable spectacle. They prey on those least able to see them for what they are. But that doesn’t mean that the gift of healing isn’t alive and well in our time and place. It is. True healers are among us. Sometimes, the Spirit heals even through the least likely sources: the con artists who claim a gift they do not have.
To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit…
I Corinthians 12:9a, NRSV
Most people can accept the others as gifts, bestowed by God where and when needed. But not faith. For whatever reason, people have convinced themselves that faith isn’t a gift. Faith has been redefined as a merit badge, something that any true believer can achieve with hard work and good intentions. It’s also been considered a sign that a person is a true follower, a way to identify who is really God’s beloved.
But faith is a given, a gift. It isn’t an achievement or an outward sign of an inward connection to God. It’s a gift given to some for the benefit of all. Not receiving faith is no more a mark of infidelity to God than not being able to heal others. We don’t get to choose our gifts, but we do get to choose whether we judge the state of our souls and the souls of others by its presence or absence.
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. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit…
ICorinthians 12:4-9, NRSV
Knowledge: knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom: knowing not to put it in a fruit salad…
It’s easy to mistake knowledge for wisdom, to mistake someone who knows a great deal with someone who has the ability to foster life and love in daily living. Knowledge, even and perhaps especially Biblical or theological knowledge, can be applied in ways that bring the peace of God closer; it can also be used to inflict damage and incite hatred. Acts of terror, even genocide, have been committed in the name of faith, with perpetrators justifying their actions with Biblical quotes and theological justifications.
Wisdom is a perspective, an understanding; it is knowing that all good things are rooted in love – love for God, love for self, and love for neighbor. When wisdom guides knowledge, amazing and beautiful things come to pass.
Listen to those whose knowledge is vast; let them add depth to your understanding. But don’t forget that knowledge requires wisdom to keep it from harming God’s beloved creation and creatures.
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. I Corinthians 12:7, NRSV
There are any number of ways to use the gifts we have, numerous contexts for their growth. At times, it feels like there is only one place for our gifts; at others, the options are so many that it’s almost paralyzing. So how do we choose the right context? How do we know where and how to invest our time and effort growing our gifts?
When we remember that our gifts come from the Spirit, we know that they are precious and unique – and should be treated as such.
When we remember that our gifts aren’t for ourselves alone, that they manifest in us for the common good, we can avoid wasting them on self-centered pursuits that will benefit no one beyond ourselves.
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
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.
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.
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…
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.
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…
