Romans 12:3-8
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Matthew 20:28
…Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Devotion
So far, we have looked at the gifts of prophecy, serving, teaching and encouraging. Today we will look at two more of the gifts: giving and leading. In his commentary on the Book of Romans, Warren Wiersbe writes, “Each believer has a gift (or gifts) to be used for the building up of the Body and the perfecting of the other members of the Body. In short, we belong to each other, we minister to each other, and we need each other.”
Being part of a church family means sharing the burdens and blessings of others so that we all grow together and glorify Christ. The person with the spiritual gift of giving is always quick to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of others. They give of themselves without much thought of the cost. They are unselfish with their time, talents, and treasures. Many times, they can sense the need before the ask is even made. Without the spiritual gift of giving, ministries would lack the resources needed to fulfill their mission. Simply put, the spiritual gift of giving is the ability to provide for the needs of others with joy, delighting in the benefit it will be to the recipient(s).
The next gift Paul writes about is the gift of leading. Leadership is a popular topic to write about in our culture. Behind every well-run organization is an effective leader. The church is no exception. The Lord knew that the church would need good leaders if it were to effectively carry out its mission. Christ calls everyone to follow, but few to lead. A good leader in the church is someone who is a good follower. To be a good leader, you must first be able to submit yourself to the lordship of Christ. Not everybody who claims to be a leader has the gift of leading. Many churches have fallen by the wayside because the people in charge lacked the spiritual gift of leading.
Questions to Ponder:
Do you give spontaneously without considering the cost? Do you eagerly submit yourself to the lordship of Christ? Do you rise up to lead when no other leadership is present? In what ways are you a blessing to others? Where are you serving and giving?
Prayer Points
- Adore the LORD as the Mighty One, God, the LORD Almighty.
- Hallow His name, and thank Him for His character, nature, and what He has done for You. Bless His holy name.
- Enter into His courts with thanksgiving and praise. Rejoice that God is Your Father.
- October is Pastor Appreciation Month. Thank Abba for all our tender and wonderful pastors. Thank the Lord for their gift of shepherding, teaching, and leading. Pray protection over them and their marriages and families.
Suggested Prayer
Oh, God of Jacob, my King and my God, I thank You, Lord, for winning my heart, for coming after me and drawing me to Yourself. Thank You for forgiving me and blessing me with friendship in You. You are trustworthy and able, powerful and strong, steady and constant. God, I ask that You would protect me, our beloved church family, and the greater one church. Lead us out of temptation and deliver us from evil. Lead us into Your heart, oh God, into Your truth. I want to be like a tree planted by streams of living water, where my roots go down deep in You. Father, I desire that You would work in and through me to bring You glory and honor on the inside and out. I ask that You would help me by Your Holy Spirit to submit to You and Your ways, moment-to-moment. Incline my ears to You so I may yield to Your Holy Spirit.
Father, help me to be led by Your Holy Spirit and to see that everything You have given me is to further Your kingdom. It’s all for Your glorious praise. Make me one who is a hilarious giver. I ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.