A wise man learns more than how to express humility when accepting a gift.
He also learns that any gift given is done so for profit in some form, and that expectation is often anticipated by the giver.
Yes, profit.
This profit can be realized as monetary gain, charitable empathy, or even personal gratification derived from being involved in a common objective. So I shouldn’t be surprised that the greatest gifts are bestowed by the One Giver in the greater interest of His magnificence.
In his epistle to the saints who [were] at Ephesus and [who were] faithful in Christ Jesus, the apostle Paul confirmed that, to each one of them, the proficiency to serve Christ in some capacity, was granted by whatever degree of mastery the Grantor had given them:
“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” [Eph. 4:7]
A few sentences later, he states what seems to be the objective of the Lord’s provision of gifts to His people. Through the efforts of each individual member, the Body of Christ might be transformed in unity and maturity, in order to demonstrate the exclusive nature of Jesus Christ:
“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ..but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” [Eph. 4:11-13, 15-16] [my emphasis]
It’s interesting to note that there seems to be no option offered to decline a gift.
Speaking truth in love and growing spiritually are foundational to co-inheriting with Christ in His kingdom of the coming age. I can’t share anything with Him unless I achieve a stature similar to His. But the Bible makes it clear that the means to secure that objective can never be accomplished in isolation.
The sphere of effective discipleship in Jesus Christ is held together by more than knowledge and tools. The strongest connections cling together with the binding agents of personal submission and conformity to the greater good of His Body.
As His disciple, any desire I have to actually develop and use the gifts He’s given me should surface not as a personal goal alone, but as part of a common objective of every member of Christ’s flock.
Leave a Comment
Posted: December 10, 2015 by cjournalme
Take It and Run With It!
A wise man learns more than how to express humility when accepting a gift.
He also learns that any gift given is done so for profit in some form, and that expectation is often anticipated by the giver.
Yes, profit.
This profit can be realized as monetary gain, charitable empathy, or even personal gratification derived from being involved in a common objective. So I shouldn’t be surprised that the greatest gifts are bestowed by the One Giver in the greater interest of His magnificence.
In his epistle to the saints who [were] at Ephesus and [who were] faithful in Christ Jesus, the apostle Paul confirmed that, to each one of them, the proficiency to serve Christ in some capacity, was granted by whatever degree of mastery the Grantor had given them:
“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” [Eph. 4:7]
A few sentences later, he states what seems to be the objective of the Lord’s provision of gifts to His people. Through the efforts of each individual member, the Body of Christ might be transformed in unity and maturity, in order to demonstrate the exclusive nature of Jesus Christ:
“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ..but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” [Eph. 4:11-13, 15-16] [my emphasis]
It’s interesting to note that there seems to be no option offered to decline a gift.
Speaking truth in love and growing spiritually are foundational to co-inheriting with Christ in His kingdom of the coming age. I can’t share anything with Him unless I achieve a stature similar to His. But the Bible makes it clear that the means to secure that objective can never be accomplished in isolation.
The sphere of effective discipleship in Jesus Christ is held together by more than knowledge and tools. The strongest connections cling together with the binding agents of personal submission and conformity to the greater good of His Body.
As His disciple, any desire I have to actually develop and use the gifts He’s given me should surface not as a personal goal alone, but as part of a common objective of every member of Christ’s flock.
Category: Uncategorized
Recent Posts
Past Articles