Little Things, Big Difference

Little things can make a big difference.  Whether the context is baking, building a house, or the composition of the human body, small things can be the difference between life and death, good quality or a disaster.  There many parts of the body which are necessary for life, and therefore it is impossible to say what is more important.  It would be useless to debate over whether the brain or blood is more important to the body.  Without either one you could not survive!  They are both necessary and therefore both critical for the healthy operation of the body.

Paul wrote to Christians concerning their church meetings in 1 Corinthians 14:26:  "How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification."  In verses following, Paul set limits as two or three people at the most speaking in turn with tongues (with interpretation) and prescribed the same limits on prophesy.  Paul did not set any limits on psalms, teachings, or revelations.  The Holy Spirit, love for God and others, and the benefit of the whole church was to govern all their interactions for the edification of the whole Body.  God's infinite, everlasting love supplies the motive to minister and speak.

A baker understands the need for quality ingredients to be carefully measure and mixed at the proper time to ensure correct consistency.  Just because there is much more flour than baking powder in a cake recipe does not mean the baking power could or should be omitted.  When believers of a church gather in fellowship and worship, all things are to be done decently and according to God's prescribed order.  All gifts and power of the Holy Spirit are necessary to produce the correct consistency and resulting fellowship God desires.  While we may have different tastes in cooking or baking, our feelings or opinions should not dictate the overemphasis of some gifts to the neglect or refusal of others.  If God has seen fit to give gifts, He will provide the guidance, discernment, leading, and opportunity to use them.

God does not give unnecessary gifts.  We are to be faithful to glorify God and edify others with the gifts God has given us, yet we must also be willing and expectant to receive edification from the gifts God has given others.  This is hard for our flesh.  It is hard for us to receive edification from a gift we do not possess, understand, and in some cases approve of!  We can be so focused on using our gift we do not think we need anything from others.  But we have been made of a Body, a group of followers of Jesus Christ unified in His love and service.  We are edified as we are obedient, yet it is for the edification of others we should seek to excel.

Whatever your role or gift in the church, realise obedience in using your gift according to the Spirit and the parameters set in God's Word is necessary for the edification of the Body of Christ.  As important as it is to use your gift, it is vital to see your need for edification through the gifts of others.  God has graciously supplied them for that purpose.  What you see as a very little thing God can use to make a big difference!