Spend time in prayer and silence with God, asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.
1 Peter 4:8-11
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength that God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen
Devotion
In our study about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, The Eight, we read, “Ultimately the great men and women of the Bible saw themselves as recipients of good gifts from God, as stewards of those good gifts during their lifetime, and as channels through whom those good gifts of God could flow out to others. They never saw themselves as owners, only managers.”
In the above passage we see two things. First, we are being instructed by Peter to manage our gifts wisely. There is a responsibility that goes along with spiritual gifts. We are to make sure that we are employing our spiritual gifts for the benefit of others. Peter uses an interesting phrase, “faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” When we exercise our spiritual gifts, others should see and experience God’s grace in its various forms. As believers, our lives should always testify of God’s grace. This should be especially evident when we are employing the gift or gifts that God has given us.
The second thing we see is the opening line: “Above all, love each other deeply…” Love is the key if the church is going to experience diversity and unity. Love is also the motivation for using the spiritual gifts that God has given the church. Love means “to value.” If we love the church, we will appropriately exercise the gifts that God has given us. This means that everything we say and do, including using our spiritual gifts, should communicate that people are loved by God and can experience His grace.
The Big Question
What did Paul mean when he wrote, “Love covers over a multitude of sins (offenses)”? Are you responsibly exercising the spiritual gift that God has given you? How are you using your spiritual gift(s) in serving others? Do you demonstrate God’s love and grace in the way that you serve others? Why is love the key for the church to celebrate diversity and unity?
Spend some time in prayer meditating on what God revealed to you today.