In 1st Corinthians Paul opens by sharing his love for the church and all he sees in it. He recognizes the grace they have, the way they have been enriched in speech and knowledge – gained through Christ. Paul reminds them that they have been given every spiritual gift they need. He closes the opening with a reminder that Jesus will keep them strong and will always be faithful.

Paul is reminding the church in Corinth that they do good things through Christ and that together they are equipped with all they need. The key here is ‘together.’ Each and every one of us has a gift given to us by the Holy Spirit to be used for the building up of His kingdom here on earth. When I think about our body of believers, the variety of gifts we possess is astonishing. Some are singers and some play instruments. Some teach and some meet and greet. Some help provide a meal and some lead an art project. Some care for babies in the nursery and some drive a bus so others can come to worship or class. Some clean, organize and restock and some say hello on the phone. Some encourage and some pray. The list is long, but I know there are many gifts I missed.

Also running through this opening to the Corinthians is the thread that they are all part of the church, all part of the body of Christ. Some of the gifts people have extend outside of the church world. For example, a person with skill in dealing with money and investments may serve on the Finance committee. The gifts and talents God gives us to use in the world can and are used in the church as well.

But we must also be careful here. We are first and foremost a child of God. If we do not also use the gifts and talents that make us a good doctor, a good teacher, a good banker, a good… to build His kingdom, we are missing the point. We are called to first serve God. Many do serve in our church and in various organizations in our community. Yet more certainly could. Before we identify ourselves as a nurse, lawyer, officer or as a father, husband, grandpa or as a wife, mother, … we must first identify ourselves as a child of God. As a child of God, we love, care for, and serve the body of Christ. Through your gifts and talents, are you building the kingdom?