WORKING WITH OUR GIFTS

Holy Spirit Gifts are for the person, the couple, the small group and the Community. The chapters on the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12-14) are headed by the distinctions in 12:4-6 as “varieties of gifts, varieties of service (not ministries), and varieties of effects”’ and is given the Trinitarian approval of the “the same Spirit, the same Lord and the same God” who works all things in all people” (v6). Then the individual giving is mentioned in v7 as “each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (v7).

It appears throughout these chapters that the Holy Spirit “distributes to each one individually as He wills” (v10) and these individual gifts are connected with the gifts of others to form “many members of one body” (v12). It seems as though each of us has been given a gift (or gifts) for others, but there is still the issue of constant asking for all spiritual gifts we might need at any given time, and surely need on specific occasions. Each person has individual gifts that are distinct to him or her, but are not distinct to the complete body, but are rather normal and common because many have the same gifts (like the hand, the foot, the eye and nose mentioned in vs15-19). Each of us has our own distinct gift. God is the Responder. Our asking is not the basis of His giving. The asking is for our own expediency.

“To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability.” Jesus