And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ.
Every team sport offers many different positions to play but shared goal: winning the game. The best teams are the ones who know how to use their different skillsets to work together toward that goal. Sometimes that means passing the ball instead of taking a risky shot or playing defense to set a teammate up for success.
When God equipped the church with spiritual gifts, it was not for the purpose of developing spiritual superstars but rather to equip the body as a whole. As different as our gifts may be, we share the common goal to equip others in the faith, helping each one for the work of ministry and building up the body of Christ. When players only focuses on their individual position and winning the game for themselves, they lose sight of the shared goal. When the goal is shared, players can look to encourage and help their teammates, even when they are not playing well personally.
First Thessalonians 5:9-11 says, “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we might live together with Him. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing.” This is the goal we share as Christ followers. We are saved and equipped by Christ so that we might live with Him. As a result, we encourage and build each other up because we know Christ and allow Him to refine our gifts and use us for His glory.
- How have brothers and sisters in Christ served you when you were in need?
- How can remembering the goal we share change the way you relate to fellow believers?
- Pray against a spirit of competition in the church and pray for a spirit of unity and encouragement among believers.
