June 18, 2020,
Good afternoon,
" Now there are a variety of gifts, but the same Spirit, and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. " I Corinthians 12:4-7
Paul, the early church leader, had to deal with people in the community of Corinth that he did not like. There were factions of different people. They thought differently from one another on Jewish and Greek things. They grew up with different and challenging histories. The Greeks would have grown up with a whole God-system that tried to explain the world that they saw in front of them. Jewish people , for the most part, tried to adhere to the Law of the Old Testament, but they had chosen to move away from Jerusalem to get away from all the requirements of the faith. Paul did not always like them, but he loved them as Christ loved the church.
Leadership in Corinth was from the top down. Paul had more power and prestige than any Mennonite pastor today. But, he did not think that he had the "only" gifts needed in Corinth. He goes against all the leadership ways of the society, and says gifts and resources are with everyone. This is radical beyond belief. Paul had the option of being an authoritarian leader. He could be like Caesar because he was a Roman citizen. He could have ordered people around. Yet, he says there are many different gifts, and a variety of different activities.
Everyone deserves respect. Everyone has something to offer to the church community. We all have gifts, and the church must honour them all. It is important for the church community to listen to everyone. This is what makes church life, sometimes, hard. We might have the same gifts, and have to figure out how to use both of them or just one of them.
What unknown or untried gifts do you have ? God wants to use you, for God does not want to do it alone.
Peace to you along the way of your life and faith.
Prayer ( words of Rumi )
Out beyond ideas of
wrongdoing and rightdoing
There is a field
I'll meet you there. { AMEN }
Fred
Tread on bold new paths !
Fireflies flash the direction
Hope springs eternal Monica Pieper Landoni 2020
Fred Redekop
Pastor
Poole Mennonite Church
Ponder Anew 