Spirit and the Kingdom - II

But there is more than just "branding" us with the spirit, making us God's people and working out transformation in our lives. Living out our transformation should affect the world. But God does one better. He empowers talents, skills and abilities we have latent in our lives.

With these gifts, we serve one another, love one another, bless one another and give life to one another. We fulfill a multitude of functions that enable God's purposes to be complete in the world. Because we cannot do everything, and we need "everything" to be done, God makes sure all the bases are covered, all needs in the body are met, and all of his family have to rely on each other. As we express those God-given skills, we build unity because we are mutually giving to and receiving from one another.

We have men who lead churches of thousands, are dynamic, Spirit empowered, charismatic, bathed in an aura of confidence, authority and competence, who are in desperate need of the spiritual service of a totally unknown soul, for their spiritual health, growth and effectiveness.

The prime metaphor of the Christian community in this regard is that of the human body. Multiple parts giving of themselves to provide unique input leading to the health, growth and increase of God's family. Multiple parts giving to the whole. The whole needs the contributions of each part or it stagnates, weakens and collapses.

Think about this.The human body does not need the glitzy, upfront components to survive. The human body does not need to see, hear or speak to survive. Granted, it works much better with those things. Yet, we seem to think that a life without a voice cannot be lived.

Now, consider the kidneys. They are not seen. They make no noise. There is no glitz or glamor. They don't play an instrument or have any upfront role. Yet, without the kidneys, the body is dead. There are those in the family of God, who never appear in the front, they are not recognized, nor are they know, but without their functioning, without their obedience to God and his role for them, the family of God does not reproduce, does not grow and does not thrive.