HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I am not a Bible scholar or anything even close. I simply read my Bible and do my best to get to the heart of what God, or the writer, is trying to communicate. Today, I read 1st Corinthians 12:12-31. It is a passage I have read many times. In general, it teaches us that the church is made up of many different kinds of people and that we are all improtant and need each other. One new thing popped out at me today, though. Verse 28 says, "And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues." In the church at that time the Apostles had laid there hands on many disciples and given them special gifts. Of course, in our churches now, though many miracles occur, there are no longer people with these special gifts. Now, in my mind, these special gifts were so much more important than any "gifts" we may have now. Some people still have the "gift" of teaching or preaching, or maybe serving, etc. To me, these types of gifts don't compare to being able to heal the sick or speak in other languages having never studied those languages. Yet, the amazing thing to me is that Paul writes that having the "gift" of administration or being able to help others is just as important! Administration? I never would have thought! I have my own worldly views, but in God's view, the things this world finds important really aren't important. How true it is that being able to help others is a wonderful gift and is needed in our churches and in our world. And even something as mundane as administrative work, is a gift from God that is special and amazing. In my eyes, someone may have the ability to organize and delegate and administrate, but they may not have appeared "spiritual" to me. Yet, it is a gift from God worthy of being mentioned in the Bible!