40-Days to Servanthood: Day 15

Trial, error, and success are the steps to finding your unique brand of servanthood.

While following Jesus Christ always means becoming more Christ-like, as well as being part of Christ’s community of faith, the Church, God never intended for any two Christians to be exactly alike. Paul writes, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God Who activates all of them in everyone” (First Corinthians 12:4-6).

Christ has given the Church of which believers in Jesus are a part a big mission (Matthew 28:16-20). For it to happen requires the meshing of the many varied talents, passions, and spiritual gifts that exist within us as a community of faith (First Corinthians 12:12-26).

Discerning our spiritual gifts requires willingness to fail and to learn at least as much from our failures as our successes. That’s where the process of trial, error, and success comes in.

I admire the ministry of Habitat for Humanity. Over a decade ago, I thought it would be a good idea for the congregation I was then serving as pastor to become involved in its work of building homes for those who can’t afford getting housing by conventional means. I talked it up and one Saturday, a group of us met at a building site in a nearby community. For about a month, I accompanied some of the folks from our church as we joined others in constructing a house. My participation ended one Saturday though, when a considerate church member pulled me aside and said, “Mark, we all have our gifts. This doesn’t involve any of yours. I’m afraid that if you keep coming back here, you’re going to get yourself killed.” I had tried and it would have been an error for me to keep attempting to be a Habitat contractor. God had gifted me in other ways.

Trial, error, and success are necessary steps to finding your unique brand of servanthood.

Bible Passage to Ponder: “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (First Corinthians 12:7)