Skip to main content
So also you - since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in building up the church.
1 Corinthians 14:12 CSB
Paul has just given the church at Corinth a lesson in what love is, becuase it seems he's writing to the church to help them in areas that they need building up or are getting away from the gospel of Jesus. 
And the next part of his letter is about spiritual gifts, and this verse jumped out!
Paul seems to be saying that you don't have to be zealous for spiritual gifts, but because you are, that's all good, but keep your focus on "us", not on "me". Seems relevant advice in our (it seems increasingly) individualistic culture. Paul's letters are all about "us". This mixed up collection of fallible, limited, wonderful, beautiful, fragile, strong humans who together are the face of God to one another. Whatever it is we are zealous about, use it to build up "us". That's where Paul wants us to excel, in building up "us". 
Does that make sense?
#corinthians
#letterstous
#whanau
#excelinbuildingupus

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Joseph replied..."Dont you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now - life for many people..." Genesis 50:19-20 MSG The view from the drone. The different perspective. "God has been at work in my life despite, in fact within the hatred that you had towards me. Even though I couldn't always see it, I kept trusting Him, even when He was silent, when all hope seemed lost... God was at work... Can you see that now?" #faith #faithinthedark
Genesis 15.8-18.ESV But he said O Lord God , how am I to know that I shall possess it? ...When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram... March 15 was the last day we looked at Abram's story...he was questioning God and this is God's response...sacrifices and smoke and fire and a covenant...a promise... Isn't that what we crave for sometimes? God, if only you'd just show me smoke & fire, a burning bush a sign, miracle, healing...then all my questions would disappear...all my doubts would be gone... 2moro we'll see Abram's response but I think God values our faith in spite of our questions and doubts. That we choose Him anyway #faith
Psalm 42.1-11.nlt As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God... I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? O God my rock l cry, Why have you forgotten me? Why must I wander around in grief, oppressed by my enemies? Their taunts break my bones. They scoff, Where is this God of yours? Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again - my Savior and my God! That song "as the deer pants for the water..." seems almost nice, but it's not...it's part of a cry of anguish, of hurt, of despair...of God not giving an answer...yet...through all that...again and again he says I'll put my hope in God! #choose #hope #hopeunshaken