Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (ESV)
God has created each of us unique, within a certain set of statistical norms, and all for His glory.
That was easy enough.
God has given each of us gifts and abilities in order that we might glorify Him and help each other do the same.
That was easy enough.
God has allowed us the freedom to choose whether we will serve Him with what He has provided…
That becomes problematic.
Remember the Garden of Eden? Adam and Eve were tempted by the one of the two things they couldn’t have. And the enemy of our souls is still encouraging us to want–not what we don’t have, but what we see someone else does have.
When we engage in this, however, we not only sin directly against God (it would be called coveting), but we also stop appreciating and utilizing the gifts and abilities with which we have been gifted (remember the unfaithful servant from Matthew 25:14-30).
The thing that may assist in maintaining proper perspective is that I will not be held accountable for how I might have used someone else’s gift–but I will answer to how I have used mine.
