One Anothers Part IV: Take Inventory with Intent on Action
- Dr. Victor Stanley
- Apr 21
- 3 min read
“For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function.” — Romans 12:4
We are one body with many parts. We’re not meant to be carbon copies, but we are meant to move in the same direction. Diversity of gifts is not a problem to fix — it’s a design feature to celebrate. The Body of Christ was never meant to be a museum of perfect people; it’s a workshop of willing ones. You may be the hands, I may be the voice, someone else may be the heart. Together, we form a living, breathing body — not flawless, but functional. So, Paul says,
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them. (Romans 12:6).
Let’s be honest, there are some talents that probably should not be used. Years ago, I watched a documentary where a person was paid to perform an astounding feat. He would break bottles and dishes of glass. Once he had formed a bed of jagged, sharp shrapnel, he would leap onto it and roll around. As far as I have deduced, this is not the kind of gifting to be used in the body of Christ. The types of gifts that should be used are those that serve to edify the Body, not abuse it.
One thing is for certain: it is wise to take inventory with the intent to act. What good is it to know you have a gift if you never use it? It is not enough for each One Another to use their gift in isolation with no thought or desire to have an impact on others. The fact is, the very idea behind the title, One Another, implies community. In other words, you are to use your gifts to edify, encourage, and build up one another. This is the purpose for which the gifts have been bestowed. Not to be missed is that, in serving one another, Christ is to be edified and lifted up. If this important factor is missing, the gifting is no more valuable than lying on a bed of broken glass. The gifts that God has bestowed upon us are given by way of Christ, who was broken for us.
God has gifted us with the intent that we will use these gifts to edify the Body of Christ. They are also to be used to minister to those who do not know Christ. They are to be used to feed the hungry, help the needy, tend to the broken, and encourage the downtrodden. In so doing, we may find an opportunity to lead the lost person to Christ.
What good is it to be gifted but then never use it? Needless to say, the answer is that it is no good at all. Therefore, as Christ followers, we are not to use our gifts for competition, with the exception of one, which is the gift of love. We are called to outdo one another in love. When we all work to do this, rather than finding ourselves separated in competition, we shall find ourselves unified in the passionate service of our Lord and Savior.
So, take inventory. Which gifting do you find dominant within yourself? Whichever it may be, make sure that you use it to the glory of God. Use it to edify One Another.
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