Listen

You are the body of Christ and parts of each other. In the church, God has appointed first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, the ability to help others, leadership skills, different kinds of tongues. All aren’t apostles, are they? All aren’t prophets, are they? All aren’t teachers, are they? All don’t perform miracles, do they? All don’t have gifts of healing, do they? All don’t speak in different tongues, do they? All don’t interpret, do they? Use your ambition to try to get the greater gifts. And I’m going to show you an even better way.

1 Corinthians 12:27-31

Think

God has gifted each of us with different ambitions and passions. Joining together with our own unique gifts that God has given each of us, we make up the body of Christ. Christ has shown us how to inspire and love one another in a way that shows neighborly love to the community around us. It can be hard, yet necessary, to remember that we are a part of something greater than ourselves. Life can be much more fulfilling when we join in with those who are around us and remember that we are stronger when we are together.

As we settle into the new year, I challenge you to ponder how God might be calling you to be a bigger part of Christ’s body to the community around you. What are you passionate about? What excites you and motivates you beyond belief? How is God in that passion, and what has God been quietly leading you to do in your own life? We are each called and equipped by God to make a change in the world. Where can you start?

Milligan Burroughs

Pray

God of Life,

Show me how I can impact the world around me.

Inspire within me a passion to be a part of the body of Christ and to care for the body of Christ.

Amen.

Go

We are one in the Spirit;
we are one in the Lord.
And we pray that all unity
may one day be restored.
And they’ll know we are Christians
by our love, by our love.
Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love!

from “They’ll Know We Are Christians” by Peter Scholtes (1966)