Put me in, Coach!
Somewhere deep below the surface of the earth (about 18 inches), a queen currently reigns. Her loyal subjects work for her alone. Their lineage depends completely on her.
A queen ant can live 10–20 years. Her workers, 1–6 months. Only she can produce offspring—no king mothers here.
The colony has two rules: (1) everyone has a job, and (2) everyone does their job.
The local church is like a colony—full of leaders and workers.
Leadership is clearly defined in Scripture—elders and deacons.
But what about us “normal” folks? The untitled. The laity. The worker ants.
In Christ, we are equal to leadership in salvation and access—but we have different functions.
We don’t need a lesson on the gifts of salvation. But maybe a reminder that, like the ants, we were all given two things: a gift and the expectation to use it.
Romans 12:6–8
“Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”
But unlike ants, people can choose to stay on the sidelines—to bench their gift.
Are you on the field? Or are you warming up, sitting on the bench, or in the stands?
Most who aren’t using their gifts are not disinterested or lazy.
Maybe guilt—some past sin—is preventing your involvement. Unworthiness. Are you more sinful than the church’s former great enemy, Paul?
Or maybe you’re unsure of the quality of your gift. No confidence. Moses was given Aaron, yet he hardly had to say a word. The spirit of God empowered him throughout his journey.
If we trust the greatest gift—our salvation—then surely the Spirit’s apportioning of our gifts is more than sufficient, leaving us no excuse to stay out of the game.
Trust the power of your gifts without shame.
It's not frivolous to approach God with an awakened confidence, renewal, or exuberance. So in your prayers to the Father this week, borrow a line from John Fogerty’s baseball's anthem "Centerfield": “Put me in, Coach!”
Have a great week.
Stand firm. Walk worthy. Abide in Christ.
A queen ant can live 10–20 years. Her workers, 1–6 months. Only she can produce offspring—no king mothers here.
The colony has two rules: (1) everyone has a job, and (2) everyone does their job.
The local church is like a colony—full of leaders and workers.
Leadership is clearly defined in Scripture—elders and deacons.
But what about us “normal” folks? The untitled. The laity. The worker ants.
In Christ, we are equal to leadership in salvation and access—but we have different functions.
We don’t need a lesson on the gifts of salvation. But maybe a reminder that, like the ants, we were all given two things: a gift and the expectation to use it.
Romans 12:6–8
“Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”
But unlike ants, people can choose to stay on the sidelines—to bench their gift.
Are you on the field? Or are you warming up, sitting on the bench, or in the stands?
Most who aren’t using their gifts are not disinterested or lazy.
Maybe guilt—some past sin—is preventing your involvement. Unworthiness. Are you more sinful than the church’s former great enemy, Paul?
Or maybe you’re unsure of the quality of your gift. No confidence. Moses was given Aaron, yet he hardly had to say a word. The spirit of God empowered him throughout his journey.
If we trust the greatest gift—our salvation—then surely the Spirit’s apportioning of our gifts is more than sufficient, leaving us no excuse to stay out of the game.
Trust the power of your gifts without shame.
It's not frivolous to approach God with an awakened confidence, renewal, or exuberance. So in your prayers to the Father this week, borrow a line from John Fogerty’s baseball's anthem "Centerfield": “Put me in, Coach!”
Have a great week.
Stand firm. Walk worthy. Abide in Christ.
Posted in The Grace Journal
Posted in Spiritual gifts, Church community, Serving God, Romans 12, Christian leadership
Posted in Spiritual gifts, Church community, Serving God, Romans 12, Christian leadership