By Romans 12:3-8
For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the standard of one’s faith; if service, in service; if teaching, in teaching; if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness.
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The Church is not only the bride of Christ, but it is the body of Christ. The body of Christ is made up of many members with many different gifts and abilities. No single person can sum up the character qualities and abilities of Jesus so he has distributed his gifts in proportion to the members of his body the Church. Some members are able to teach, some exhort, and some lead. Some members are gifted with generosity, cheerfulness, and showing mercy. The particular gifts of each Church multiply as more members in the same body have a measure of the same gift. For example if twenty members in the Church have the gift of showing mercy, it is likely that those people would begin some sort of mercy ministry. Their gifting would motivate them to use what they have for the glory of Christ.
I believe that these gifts are discovered mostly by the Church. For example, we have moved to multiple Churches over the years for one reason or the other. In each of these Churches I have been asked to teach in different proportions without me pursuing it at all. My gift that was given to me at salvation was discovered in the local Church and intended by Jesus to be used for the benefit of the body. I do not remember teaching anything before I became a Christian. It is a gift that I seem to have been given at conversion and it is my responsibility to use it for the benefit of others. Oddly enough, this is one of the reasons why I write these devotions. I am driven to share what I learn because God gave me this gift for others and not myself.
God calls us to think sensibly and with self-control regarding ourselves. After all, whatever abilities you have were given to you as a gift. They were intended to be used to benefit the Church of Jesus Christ. Your gifts and abilities are how Jesus ministers to his Church. If you are not using the abilities God has given you are not using it according to the standards of one’s faith. Pay attention to what other people in your Church say about you. You may discover that God has gifted you with something he wants you to use to benefit the other members of his body.
Leading Family Devotions 