Only a “Donkey”
Once Corrie Ten Boom shared her experience
with Sadhu Sundar Singh, who was revered by many. At that time Sadhu had just completed
a tour around the world. People asked him, “Doesn't it do harm, you’re getting
so much honor?” The Sadhu's answer was, "No. The donkey went into
Jerusalem, and they put garments on the ground before him. He was not proud. He
knew it was not done to honor him, but for Jesus, who was sitting on his back.
When people honor me, I know it is not me, but the Lord, who does the job. I am
only a donkey.”[1]
I share this story because it puts spiritual gifts in perspective. Today we
will explore the fourth practice to which we commit ourselves in our membership
vow, “service,” in the context of using
our spiritual gifts. Just like the donkey who carried Jesus in Jerusalem, we
are most fulfilled when we are in the service of Jesus Christ. Apart from him,
we can do nothing. But when we abide in Christ and lift up Christ, we are no
longer ordinary people. We become His co-workers.
To Each a “Gift”
In today’s passage Paul’s first
exhortation regarding spiritual gifts is this: “Spiritual gifts are gifts.” At that time the members of
Corinthian church were placing value judgments on one another based on performance,
competence, and charisma. For instance, if some members had more visible and impressive
gifts, such as, prophecy, tongues and interpretation, they were considered more
spiritual. So Paul had to clarify this issue. He said in verse 7, “Spiritual
gifts are given for free by God’s
Spirit.” They are given things. We cannot merit or earn them. According to D.
A. Carson, “spiritual gifts” can also be translated as “grace gifts.” We don’t
get to choose our spiritual gifts, but they are given to us just as the Spirit chooses
regardless of our performance and efforts (11).
When I was in Korea, my home church
was in transition. We were building a new church building. Children, youth,
young adults and basically the entire church were growing. It was a very exciting
time, but at the same time, a very challenging time. More volunteers, more
laborers, more staffs were needed. At that time although I did many different things,
my primary gift used was serving. I carried
a heavy load, drove a church van, cleaned the building, and so on. Then, when I
was serving as an associate pastor in Boston, my primary gifts were administrating and assisting. I made a church bulletin, sent out emails, contacted
people, and so on. Then, in my previous appointment, God gave me the gift of encouragement. At that time the church was
discouraged and suffering from divisions. God wanted me to encourage His
people. So as I look back, I realize that when it comes to spiritual gifts, it’s
not about me. It’s all about God and His Church. No matter what spiritual gifts
we have, they are “grace” gifts, “free” gifts. There is nothing to boast. And
there is no place for feelings of superiority or self-sufficiency. We are stewards of God’s gifts. We are only a donkey.
“To Each” a Gift
If the feelings of self-sufficiency (“I’m better” or “I don’t
need you”) is one unhealthy extreme, the other extreme would be the feelings of
uselessness (“I’m not gifted” or “I
don’t have anything to contribute”). But the Bible clearly says that everyone has received a spiritual gift from
God. In verse 7 Paul says, “To each
is given the manifestation of the Spirit….” Furthermore, later in verse 22,
Paul also says that each member is indispensable,
necessary. This past weekend I had a chance to watch a play presented by
children’s theater program. What I was impressed by is that those working behind
the scenes (“production crew”) were as many as those who acted in it (“cast”). Behind
the scenes some help lights, some background set up, some costumes, some sound
system, some make-up, some backstage, and some directing the play. And together
they are making a good team. Each member is necessary.
Mrs. Floyd Crook recalls her
childhood. One day she came home from school crying because she had been given
only a small part in the children’s program, while her playmate got the leading
role. After drying her tears, her mother took off her watch and put it in her daughter’s
hand. “What do you see?” the mother asked. “A gold case, a face, and two
hands.” she replied. Opening the back, she repeated the question. The daughter told
her mother she saw many tiny wheels. “This watch would be useless,” the mother
said, “without every part—even the
ones you can hardly see.” The church is just like the watch. Without every part
and its contribution, the church would suffer. Each member is necessary.
For the Common Good
Now we know each of us has received
a spiritual gift. All of us are given particular spiritual gifts to contribute.
But some of us may still wonder, “What are my gifts?” Typically, we ask the
following questions to discover our spiritual gifts: “What do I love?” or “What
am I good at?” Although those are good questions, there is a better and more
important question to ask: “What are the needs
of the body?” or “How can I serve the
body?” In verse 7 Paul says, “To each is given the manifestation of the
Spirit for the common good.” Later he
also says, “So with yourselves; since you are eager for spiritual gifts, strive
to excel in them for building up the
church” (14:12). The purpose of using spiritual gifts is to build up the
body of Christ. It’s not about me, but it’s all about Christ’s Church. As we see
and begin to understand the needs of the body, God will help us find ways to strengthen
the faith of others, and that will be the discovery of our gifts.
Spiritual gifts
are for strengthening others. Probably you’ve seen geese flying in a “V” formation.
If you look closely at the formation, you will see them rotate. When the lead
goose tires, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies to the
point position, similar to pace lining in bicycling. And they honk one another
to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. When a goose gets sick, two
geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay
with it until it dies or is able to fly again. We can learn from geese what the
church should look like. Let us ask ourselves: “Am I doing my part in the body?”
or “Am I strengthening the body?” If we are not using our particular grace
gifts for the common good, we are depriving the rest of the body. To each of us
is given spiritual gifts, whatever they might be, for strengthening the faith of others.
Pursue Love!
Now Paul reaches the conclusion,
saying, “But strive for the greater
gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way” (31). And right
after that, Paul tells us what love is in chapter 13. So we often call love the
greatest gift. Yes it is true, but still what
are the greater gifts? I believe Paul uses plural form “gifts” on purpose
here. I believe that love makes our spiritual gifts “greater gifts” whatever
they might be, rather than love being a particular spiritual gift. For instance,
if we use the gift of serving with love,
serving becomes a greater gift. If we use the gift of encouragement with love, encouraging becomes a greater
gift. So striving for the greater gifts doesn’t mean to ask for gifts we don’t
have. But it does mean to use our gifts with love. So at the end Paul exhorts
Corinthians Christians, “Do everything (Use your gifts) with love” (16:14).
Then, what is love? Paul gives us
at least 15 characteristics of agape
love in chapter 13. In essence, love is not self-seeking, but self-giving. There is a true story about
a man who gave it all away literally transformed a whole prison camp of
soldiers. The man’s name was Angus McGillivray. Angus was a Scottish
prisoner in one of the camps filled with Americans, Australians, and Britons
who had helped build the infamous Bridge over the River Kwai. The camp had
become an ugly situation. A dog-eat-dog mentality had set in. Allies would
literally steal from each other and cheat each other; survival was everything.
The law of the jungle prevailed until the news of Angus McGillivray’s death
spread throughout the camp. The Scottish soldiers took their buddy system very
seriously. Their buddy was called their “mucker,” and they believed that is was
literally up to each of them to make sure their “mucker” survived. Angus’s
mucker, though, was dying, and everyone had given up on him, everyone, of
course, but Angus. Someone stole his mucker’s blanket, and Angus gave him his
own. Someone stole his mucker’s rations, and again Angus gave him his own. As
his mucker began to recover, Angus collapsed and died of starvation and
exhaustion.
As word circulated, the feel of the
camp began to change. Suddenly, men began to focus on their mates, their
friends, and humanity of living beyond survival, of giving oneself away. They
began to pool their talents – one was a violin maker, another an orchestra
leader, another a cabinet maker, another a professor. Soon the camp had an
orchestra full of homemade instruments and a church called the “Church Without
Walls” that even the Japanese guards attended. The place was transformed, all
because one man named Angus gave all he had for his friend.[2] Jesus
said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his
friends” (Jn 15:13). Let us pursue love. Let us give ourselves away by using
our grace gifts with love. Then the world will see it and give glory to our Father
in heaven. Amen.
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