Flourishing within the Grace and Gifts We've been Given

Today we live in a world filled with social media. With the simple click of a button, we get glimpses into the lives of people we know and don't. The glimpses we get, whether "perfect" or not, are rarely the complete picture, and can often cause us to wish we were like someone else, had what they had, or do what they do. 

This can distract us from the breathtaking view of how God has designed the body of Christ, His kingdom, to flourish. We all have a unique, God-given role to live out, and we all have a significant portion of the structure to build. 

Ephesians 4:1-3,7, 11-12 (ESV)

"I, therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

"Grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ."

When reading through these verses, I recognize there are some specific roles mentioned, but the opening verse is speaking to all followers of Christ. 

"...Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called." (verse 1)

Walk (Peripateo): to live, be occupied with

In a manner worthy (Axios): appropriately

Calling (Klesis): the divine invitation to embrace salvation in the kingdom of God

All of us, who have embraced salvation through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, are called to live appropriately as citizens of God's Kingdom. 

What is appropriate?

"...with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (verse 2)

Humility (Tapeinophrosyne): modesty, having a deep sense of one's moral littleness

Patience (Makrothymia): forbearance, fortitude, longsuffering

Bearing with (Anecho): to endure, suffer with

Eager (Spoudazo): promptly, earnestly, diligently

Maintain (Tereo): to guard

*Greek words in parentheses

Appropriate means we:

• Live with a deep sense of our moral littleness and the absolute holiness of the God we serve by responding to others with modesty, not a sense of superiority, and continually recognizing that all of us have fallen far short of God's glory. (HUMILITY)

• Live with fortitude for others and suffer for a long time beside them, walking with and enduring the sadness, sicknesses, and struggles they fight through here on earth. (PATIENCE)

• Have a heart that responds promptly and is diligent to guard the unity that comes from the Spirit of God. A unity focused on the essentials: "one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all." Ephesians 4:4-6 (EAGERNESS)

"Grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift." (verse 7) Each one of us has been given the grace we need for the gift Christ has given us. Look what God's grace does in our lives!

Grace (Charis): divine influence on the heart that:

• turns us to Christ

• keeps us

• strengthens us

• increases our faith and affection for God

• increases our knowledge of God

• kindles us to exercise Christian virtues

God's grace gives us the ability to be humble, have patience toward others, and respond with eagerness. His grace furnishes us with the strength needed to use the gift(s) He has given us.

Why does Christ give us grace and gifts?

"to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ."

Equip (Katartismos): Complete furnishing, from the word (Katartizo): to adjust, repair, restore

*Greek word in parentheses

In other words, we help adjust, repair, and restore others by loving them with humility and patience, and diligently guarding unity and peace, so they will be able to join in the work of aiding, relieving and attending to others. We do this to make the body of Christ stronger, to share the incredible love and gift(s) God has generously given us, and ultimately to glorify the supreme Master of the body, Jesus Christ!

Building up (Oikodome): edifying (to instruct or inform in a way that improves the mind or character), architecture, structure

*Greek word in parentheses

We instruct, inform, and love others so they can, in turn, build up others, and we do this by operating in the grace and gift(s) we've been given. Each person has an essential job to do in the body of Christ and a gift to use. As each one of us gives and receives, we are helping to make the body of Christ a sound structure, and working within the beautiful design the Architect created. 

Ephesians 4:15-16 (NLT)

"Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love." 

There is such beauty in this verse! Christ makes the body fit together perfectly. He knows which gifts are needed and where they are needed most. He knows the value of community. He lives forever within the perfect union of the trinity, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, and when Jesus lived life here on earth as a man, He was frequently with and ministering to people. He used His forgiving, gentle, and loving power to heal the broken and bruised. 

The body of Christ should be the most beautiful structure here on earth, full of love, full of truth, and continually growing more like Christ as each part, gifted and operating with divine grace, builds up the other.  

Here are some ways we can build up the body of Christ and areas that we can creatively use the grace and gift(s) God has given us. It's exciting to think of all the possibilities, and it is encouraging to know that others will do the same for us.

Romans 12:9-18 

Show sincere love for each other. 

Cling to what is right. 

Outdo one another in showing honor. 

With a passionate spirit, serve the Lord. 

Be cheerful in the hope.

Be patient in anguish and trouble.

Be diligent in prayer.

Share with those in need.

Pursue the opportunity to show love to strangers and practice hospitality.

Speak well of those who persecute you. 

Be glad and cheerful for and with those who are rejoicing. 

Be empathetic and mourn with those who are weeping.  

Romans 15:5-6 (ESV)

“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Instead of wishing our lives were like someone else's, we can rest confident in the plan God has designed for us in Christ. We can humbly submit our lives to His design, and He will cause us to flourish within the grace and gift(s) He has given us. We will be a vibrant part of the one voice, the one body that is meant to magnifiy our great God.

Sincerely, 

Amy