Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Wednesday February 12, 2014 

Romans 12:1-8

Paul’s Letter, (sometimes termed Epistle) to the Christians in Rome has been described by many as his masterpiece.  It is densely written, covering much of his understanding of the purpose of Jesus the Christ.  In this letter, Paul includes both Jews and Gentiles as receivers of God’s grace through Jesus’ death and resurrection.  He speaks of slavery and freedom, of law and liberation, and summarizes it all by insisting that God’s mercy and grace is for all people.

Now, in chapter 12 and for the rest of the letter, Paul instructs his readers on how to put all his theory into practice.  Some of his teaching focuses on transformation, some on meekness, and much on the diversity of gifts possessed by the followers of Jesus.  And that teaching is still current for us today.  We, too, as the body of Christ here and now, possess many different and important gifts – important for building up the body, sustaining it, and encouraging its members.  These gifts are given to us to use, not to hoard, or mete out as we see fit.  Indeed, these gifts are not really ours at all, but God’s, who has called us to be stewards of them.

What gifts have you discerned within yourself, or what gifts have others seen in you?  How do you use them?  How do you refine them?  ^“We, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.”

-Rev'd Paul Kett