Reflections with Andy - 1 Corinthians 12: 1-11 – Gifts
We all have gifts. They were given to each of us, not by our own ability but by the Holy Spirit, for the good of the body!
What are spiritual gifts, and why does God give them? In today’s reflection, Andy begins exploring 1 Corinthians 12, where Paul reminds us that every gift—from wisdom and faith to teaching and service—comes from the same Holy Spirit and is given for the common good. Through a personal story about his wife Holly’s remarkable gift of faith, Andy reflects on how God uniquely equips each of us, not to elevate ourselves, but to strengthen the body of Christ. The focus is never on the gift itself, but on the Giver who empowers us to serve.
Join us for our daily reflections. In 10 short minutes, we’ll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help us better understand God’s Word.
You can read today’s passage here.
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Good morning! It’s good to be with you on this Wednesday morning. I hope you’re doing well and have a wonderful day ahead of you.
I’m especially looking forward to today because I’ll have the opportunity to speak with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Starkville High School. I’ll be sharing with the football team about what it means to be part of something bigger than yourself—a team—and how that connects with our calling as followers of Christ.
One of the verses I’ll be using is Colossians 3:17:
“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
I love that verse because it reminds us that there really are no menial tasks in God’s kingdom. Whatever we do—whether we’re on a football field, in a classroom, at work, or at home—we have the opportunity to glorify God through it.
I’d appreciate your prayers today. I hope I’ll be able to encourage those students and remind them that every part of life can be lived for God’s glory.
Today we’re beginning 1 Corinthians 12, one of the most fascinating chapters in Paul’s letters.
In many ways, this chapter lays the foundation for chapter 13, one of the best-known chapters in all of Scripture—the chapter about love. But to really understand why Paul writes about love, we first have to understand what he’s addressing here in chapter 12.
Let’s read 1 Corinthians 12:1–11.
Paul begins talking about spiritual gifts.
He mentions wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, different kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. It’s quite a list.
But as important as the gifts themselves are, Paul’s emphasis isn’t really on the individual gifts.
His emphasis is on where they come from.
Listen again to what he says:
“There are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.”
Every gift comes from the same Holy Spirit.
And every gift has the same purpose.
Paul says these gifts are given for the common good.
That’s an important phrase.
The gifts of the Spirit aren’t given so we can become impressive Christians or build our own reputation. They’re given so that the whole body of Christ can be strengthened.
I think we see something similar in sports.
You’ll often hear commentators talk about an athlete’s “God-given ability.”
There are some people who simply have gifts that seem to come naturally. Certainly they develop those gifts through practice and discipline, but there’s also something about the way God has uniquely wired them.
The same is true spiritually.
One example I always think about is my wife, Holly.
I honestly believe Holly has what Paul calls the gift of faith.
Now, every Christian has faith. We’re saved by grace through faith. Faith is essential to the Christian life.
But I think some people have an extraordinary capacity to trust God.
That’s Holly.
She simply believes.
She trusts that God is present.
She trusts that God is going to provide.
She trusts that somehow it’s all going to work out.
That confidence gives her incredible freedom to serve, to give generously, and to follow wherever God leads.
That’s not something she manufactured.
It’s a gift.
Now, she’s certainly nurtured that gift. She reads Scripture, prays faithfully, worships, serves, and continues growing in Christ.
But I really do think faith comes naturally to her in a way that it doesn’t for everyone.
I’m a little different.
I absolutely have faith in Jesus.
I trust Him.
But if I’m honest, the biblical story that resonates most with me is Jacob wrestling with God.
Sometimes my faith feels like that.
I wrestle.
I question.
I struggle.
I argue.
Eventually I surrender, but sometimes I feel like God has to drag me—lovingly, of course—to where He wants me to be.
That’s simply how my faith journey often looks.
And that’s okay.
God gives different gifts to different people.
Some have remarkable wisdom.
Some have extraordinary compassion.
Some have the gift of teaching.
Some have gifts of leadership, healing, discernment, generosity, or encouragement.
Paul also mentions tongues and interpretation of tongues. Later in 1 Corinthians he’ll spend more time explaining those gifts, but even here he makes the main point unmistakably clear.
The focus is never on the gift itself.
The focus is on the purpose of the gift.
Every gift is given for the common good.
In other words, God never gives us gifts simply for ourselves.
Whatever ability, passion, or spiritual gift He’s entrusted to you has been given so that you can help build up the body of Christ.
That’s why we have to be careful.
It’s very easy to fall in love with the gift and forget the Giver.
It’s easy to begin thinking our particular gift somehow makes us more important than someone else.
That’s exactly what was happening in Corinth.
Some believers had started ranking gifts, and by extension, ranking people.
Paul is going to spend the rest of this chapter tearing that idea apart.
The value isn’t in having a certain gift.
The value is in faithfully using whatever gift God has given you.
So if God has blessed you with wisdom, use it for the church.
If He’s given you compassion, use it to care for people.
If He’s given you leadership, lead with humility.
If He’s given you faith, let your faith encourage someone else’s.
Whatever your gift may be, remember why you’ve received it.
Not for your own glory.
Not to prove you’re a better Christian than someone else.
But to strengthen the body of Christ.
Because when each of us faithfully uses the gifts God has given us, the church becomes everything God intends it to be.
Tomorrow we’ll continue in chapter 12 as Paul begins addressing what happens when we elevate some gifts above others—and why that completely misses the point.
Thanks for being with me today. I hope you have a wonderful day, and I’ll see you again tomorrow morning.