“Being properly led”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Sunday, January 16, 2022

1 Corinthians 12:1-11 (Forward, p. 79) CEV p. 1199

I have always been somewhat frustrated with the letters of St. Paul to the Corinthian church. For me, it has always seemed as if I was listening in on one side of a two-way phone call. I can hear (or read) what Paul is saying, but cannot hear (or read) what, on the other side, has prompted Paul’s response in the first place. Such is the case here, as Paul opens today’s passage with the words, “My friends, you asked me about spiritual gifts” (verse 1). In reading between the lines in the earlier parts of this letter, one gets the distinct notion that some people in the Corinthian church see themselves as being especially endowed and as being a distinct ‘cut above the rest’. They are glorying in ‘not missing out on any blessings’ and on being especially blessed in terms of their understanding and their eloquence, whereas, as Paul points out rather pointedly, God has repeatedly chosen the weak, the foolish, the unimportant people of the world as His followers and ambassadors.

But notice how Paul follows up on this mention of spiritual gifts. He chooses a very dramatic, and rather troubling, image. He suggests that there are but two sources of inspiration, of being led. One source, their former means of guidance, was through lifeless, useless idols, idols who by their very nature, could not even talk. This source led them astray, led them in all the wrong ways. Over against that one particular source Paul posits another source, namely the Spirit, the Holy Spirit of God, who leads them to acknowledge and glorify God. In essence, Paul is slamming the first source, implying that it is the source of their divisiveness and of their self-seeking and one-upmanship. He is demanding that they chose which source they will be led by.

Paul then goes on to explain just how the Spirit works, how the Spirit is expected to lead them. The Spirit, he explains, provides a wide variety of gifts and abilities, but all to just one purpose, to either glorify God or to build up His Body, the Church. Each of them is a way to serve God or others. And, yet in all of this diversity, it is the one and self-same Spirit that distributes, activates and uses them. That Spirit works in each one of us, in whatever gift we might have, and helps us in using them.

And so there is no hierarchy of gifts or of ministries within the Body of Christ, the Church. Preaching, teaching and leading the Church in public worship are no better or more exalted or important than anything else. And neither is evangelism or missions or visiting or serving at the Soup Kitchen. Managing the church office, maintaining the books, cleaning toilets, seeing to the church maintenance, and setting up for Communion are all just as important. And, rather incredibly, God, in His Holy Spirit, has gifted all of these and works through each one of them—and, through each one of us. And so, Paul is saying, what we need to do is to honour the leading of the Spirit as He works through each of these gifts, and to honour the people who stand behind them and make use of them. Amen.

Forward notes: “Now there are varieties 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” (verses 4-7).

“In the writing class that I teach, I often hear students say they are not creative or talented enough to write something meaningful. This provides a perfect opportunity to talk about gifts and how we are each blessed with specific ones. At the same time, we may need to take some of our gifts to the gym, working them so they can put on muscle and strengthen. Sometimes, we may not even know our gifts until we put in the work so they can emerge and flourish.

“Renowned poet Maya Angelou came to writing late in life. She became one of the greatest writers of all time, not out of luck or happenstance but because she worked that muscle, that gift. She had a story to give to the world, and she honoured the call to write.”

Moving Forward: “Is there a craft, hobby, or sport you are curious about but fear you may not be good at it? This might be the time to work that muscle and see how brilliant and brave you are with the gifts God will activate in you.”