The gift comes from God, the calling from the church. When the gift is received and treated as just that, a gift, something not of our own making, but something that has been given to us for our nurture, cultivation and stewardship and when the church recognizes it and calls upon us to exercise that gift and when we accept that call and exercise it in a way that brings the Glory back to God, then The Body of Christ experiences the very best that God has for Her. This principle is borne out in scripture and is seen in its highest in the gift of Christ Himself; given to the world, the church recognizes this gift given to the sinner and calls the sinner to exercise it. When the sinner accepts the gift and exercises it by allowing Christ to do His living through him, Glory is given back to God from whom it came. In the highest, anything less is eternal damnation for the sinner. For the body, anything less can bring much trouble. Non- gifts that the church accepts because of political or other impure reasons can stunt the growth of the body. God given gifts that the church fails to recognize starve and deprive the body. Gifts recognized and called, but exercised for self-glorification poison the body. So as we start the New Year when weight loss clubs and gym memberships hit their annual peak, let us in Christ’s Body renew our commitment to the exercise of our God given gifts and call upon the sinner to receive theirs!

Eyes and Ears Dear Brothers & Sisters

Written by Larry Gould

Church Treasurer