The Gift(s) of the Body

October was definitely one of the most encouraging months we’ve had since arriving here because it ended with four very dear friends from the States coming to visit us, encourage us, and experience life with us. Not only that, but they brought along four footlockers filled with gifts, goodies, and notes wishing us well from people back home. As we sorted through the items and read the messages aloud to each other, i was reminded of the importance of the Body and how our work here truly is just an extension of the Body and a small part of what the Body is doing as a whole, both here and around the entire world. 

As i pondered what it meant for the Body to be working together in unison for Father’s glory, i went to the Word to remind myself of what this should look like. i found what i expected to find, but was also intrigued by a Truth i had never before noticed.

The three main places in the NT where Paul talks about us as being the Body are also the three main places where the NT talks about spiritua1 gifts: Rom. 12, 1 Cor. 12, and Eph 4. Each of these passages also ends with some sort of admonition to persevere in love of one another. Because my concern was receiving encouragement from the passages about the Body, i was initially tempted to skim past the bits about gifts—and, in fact, did as i read through Rom. 12—until i saw that each of the three passages had these same three components.

In light of this, it didn’t seem quite right to separate out these ideas that were so intertwined in the Word, so i began to think on them as a whole. The first thing that struck me is how interesting it is that the “gifts” are one of the biggest sources of division between denominations when Paul was so careful to point out how important it is that the Body remain firm as one rather than for one member to say to the other “I have no need of you” (1 Cor. 12:21). Paul wrote this to ensure “that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another” (vs. 25).

Moving here was an interesting experience for many reasons, but one reason is because we were thrown into a city with about eight other families from the States, most of whom came from different backgrounds and practices, though all were Family. Some were more charismatic, some more conservative, but we all had the same underlying goal. It is probably one of the greatest pictures of the diverse Body working together that i have personally ever experienced—not that it is perfect by any means. We still have problems and issues the same as anywhere else, but it has been fun to work through differences and grow together.

Coming back to our friends from the states coming to visit us, i think my wife and i would agree that the two verses that sum it up best are found in the introduction to Rom.:

“For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritua1 gift to strengthen you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” Rom. 1:11-12

These verses (yet another perfect union of gifts working within the Body) encompass our desires and feelings for the team that came. We truly cannot express with words what an encouragement it was to the depths of our souls to see and share life with these four. And from what they told us, it seems they were encouraged as well. A mutual encouragement of faith. It was truly life-giving. We hope—if you know any of these four—that you get the chance to talk with them and hear about life here. There is so much that we wish we could share, but space to write and the sensitive nature of some of the issues won’t allow. We do hope you get the chance to hear though!

The Body, though complex and diverse, is definitely one of the greatest opportunities for us to display the love of our Father. The Son himself proclaims in Jn. 13:35, “By this all people will know that you are my discip1es, if you have love for one another.” The love and encouragement provided by the team that came will continue to carry forward as we press forward here.  We love and miss our friends, family, and fellow laborers back States-side, and we lift you up to Father often. As we each fulfill our different roles in the Body, let us press forward as one, in love, for the glory of our Great Father.