by Roy M. Terry IV
Epistle Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
For Sunday, January 20, 2013: Year C—Epiphany 2
I am a “Snickers” guy. When I’m a little hungry and there happens to be a vending machine around I am drawn to the “Snickers” bar. “D” and “5” are the two buttons I push initiating the sequence of motors, gears and release mechanisms which push my “Snickers” bar to the edge allowing gravity to do its work.
“Clunk!” It’s in the bin at the bottom of the machine I open the door and grab my tasty treat! And yes, “It satisfies!”
Supernatural Vending
Too often Paul’s teaching on spiritual gifts is approached as if gifts were items in a vending machine. Identify your greatest hunger and need, push the two buttons, and “Clunk” grab your wisdom from the bin. Because, yup, “It satisfies!”
Don’t we wish the gifts of the Holy Spirit were “On Demand” or that somehow you can create your spiritual identity profile by selecting from the menu options which will help you build your personal Linked-Into-God page (mixed metaphors intended). The more gifts the better and, of course, Christians are the only ones who have access to this supernatural wonder—after all it comes with the whole baptismal package.
Divine Distribution
Paul begins this pericope with, “Now concerning spiritual gifts....” The concern appears to be with the entitled approach some Christians have toward the gifts of the Spirit. But these gifts are not available for our selection; they are “activated” by the Spirit for God's purposes, not our self-satisfaction.
The Holy Spirit activates a variety of gifts for the “common good.” They are not taken, selected or “D,” “5,” “clunk,” removed from a bin. They are given like grace. Divinely distributed for God’s work through the people God chooses, when and where God needs them to be activated, again—hello!—for the common good.
Everyone?
And just maybe the gifts are not only bestowed upon those who believe in God? What if the Spirit activates them in everyone—as in, just maybe, “everyone” including those considered outside the supernatural network of true believers. To proclaim Jesus as Lord is to acknowledge that we have no control and we certainly cannot pick and choose our giftedness, or the giftedness of anyone else as far as that goes for our personal satisfaction.
Maybe our work is to stop trying to celebrate our own gifts and begin celebrating God’s giftedness in everyone—for the "common good!”
The Hardest Question
Are the gifts of the Spirit only limited to Christians? Do we participate in cursing Jesus when we believe the gifts of the Spirit are only for “us” and not activated in everyone?
Rev. Roy Terry serves as the pastor of Cornerstone United Methodist Church in Naples, FL. In addition to working at the church, Roy enjoys supporting his wife and daughter's equestrian pursuits, playing in the Holy Moly Band, getting a few tattoos and singing classic rock tunes at the local sports pub. He has been published in Christian Century, Duke Divinity School's publication Divinity, The Ekklesia Project, and was a contributor in Diana Butler Bass’ work on re-traditioning churches, From Nomads to Pilgrims and Christianity for the Rest of Us.
