We Need One Another | Romans 12:6–8

“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. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 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.” (Romans 12:6–8 NLT)

 

In today’s devotion, we’re going to look at these words of encouragement for believers: We need one another.

With all the technology we have today, we’re more connected than we’ve ever been in human history. At the same time, we’re more disconnected than we’ve ever been. It’s no secret that many younger people would rather text someone than speak with them personally. So, sometimes we don’t talk to each other at all.

Someone has said, “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, thinking together is unity, working together is success.” That certainly applies to believers.

God has given every Christian gifts from the Holy Spirit. These are not necessarily talents, which are the natural abilities we are born with. These are gifts that are supernaturally given to us from God—spiritual gifts.

The apostle Paul discusses these gifts in Romans 12: “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. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 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” (verses 6–8 NLT).

We believers need to put down our phones and talk together, pray together, and work together, because we’re all part of the body of Christ. We’re all part of the church. We’re all part of the family of God. We all must find our places in the body of Christ and do the jobs that God has called us to do.

You won’t find any passages of Scripture that excuse certain believers from exercising their gifts. Introverts don’t get a free pass. Neither do people whose schedules are filled. God blessed each of us with spiritual gifts—not for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others. If we don’t exercise our gifts, other people will suffer.

Pastor James Merritt has pointed out that there are two kinds of people in the church and in the world: workers and shirkers. You’re either one or the other. And you decide which one you will be.

 

Reflection question: What spiritual gifts can you contribute to the body of Christ? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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