Becoming The Brother Everyone NeedsSample

A Brother Who Serves

So how do you go about loving your brothers and sisters in Christ? How do you serve them well.

You rely on the Holy Spirit. The moment that you put your faith in Jesus Christ for salvation and surrendered your life to follow Him in obedience, His Holy Spirit came to live in your heart, and He came bearing gifts, spiritual gifts intended for the sole purpose of your building up your brothers and sisters in Christ under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Together, you and your spiritual siblings form the Church, or the Body of Christ, and your effectiveness in spreading the Gospel for God’s ultimate glory as well as your health as a Body depends upon each member doing their part by using their spiritual gift(s) toward that common goal.

As it is the same Holy Spirit who distributes each and every gift by the same power, no gift is more important than any other, although some might receive more recognition and/or bear more responsibility. As all gifts are equally important, all gifts should be equally valued

Discover what your spiritual gifts are. Then, as you work alongside your brothers and sisters toward your common goal, use your own gifts with gratitude and appreciation for God’s allowing you to be a part of what He is accomplishing in this world, assuming the same attitude as Jesus Christ even as you serve. Express appreciation for the gifts of others, without whom the Body would not be complete. Be careful to squash ego and/or elitism the moment they rear their ugly heads so that God alone is glorified in your attitude, your actions, and in the work that you do as a member of the Body of Christ.

• To whom do you give credit and/or recognition when God chooses to work either through you or through one of your brothers and sisters?
• Do you encourage and affirm all of your brothers and sisters in Christ equally or focus your attention mainly on those who possess spiritual gifts that you admire?

Read 1 Corinthians 12:7-27.