Diversity and Uniqueness in God's Plan

Romans 12: 3-8 NLT

  3  Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.  4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,  5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
   6  In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.  7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.  8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

We hear the word 'diversity' pushed into our faces these days, and usually advocating for a certain category of society to be given some sort of preferential treatment by those whom the promoter seems to think is dominant. But God has his own plan for diversity and it has nothing to do with nationality, skin color, language, physical stature or any of the other flawed diversity perspectives politicked about today. God's plan for diversity is simple!  All are ONE in Him. All are the same quality in Him. All who are IN Christ, are united by the power of God's Holy Spirit and should not seek to be over OR under anyone else. We simply all serve. God addresses diversity through the way in which HE gifts each one of us. We have been granted diverse talents, diverse gifts, diverse calls for responsibility in the body-life of believers. Each of us has been granted a unique set of such gifts and talents. Each of us has been given a call from God that is unique from everyone elses' call.

The most effective body-life among believers in Christ happens when each one of the body members willingly and obediently exercises his and her unique gifts, talents and skills, while addressing the unique call to responsibility each one has received. The diversity of gifts comes from God "in His Grace."  Paul advises the believers in Rome, and us as well, to exercise our gift with careful and deliberate attention.  Whatever your gift-- do it well, he says. How can I do my gift well? By devoting it in purpose and intent to whatever will most glorify God and has least to do with glorifying myself. Most of the time, when we think someone is going to observe us in some sort of a performance, we are careful to rehearse, practice, prepare, and make sure we give our best to the task. This should be true for what God calls us to do as well. We should be as prepared as possible, all the also relying upon  God alone for the success that HE ordains for the task at hand. Whatever it is that God calls us to do He also equips us for doing. We want  others to see God at work, not to see us.

How about you and I asking the Lord, today, right now, if possibly, to make whatever we do to represent our very best,  and to attract someone else to God's kingdom because of it.

Your Servant in Christ's love
Dan Elliott
drdanelliott@gmail.com