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Edification

We are talking about the disciple-making process. The second letter “E” in the word R.E.F.L.E.C.T stands for edification which literally means “to build up.” So what are we building? We are building souls, building up one another’s lives. To build suggests progress over time, according to a blueprint or plan. It’s a biblical word that describes our mutual purpose as members of the body of Christ. The mature believer intentionally uses words to build others up in Christ–engaging personal gifts, maintaining unity, practicing forgiveness, and controlling the tongue.

Have you ever walked through a spider web? I know this is an odd question but hear me out. I hate the feeling of an invisible spider web stretching across my face. I frantically try to clean the web off with my fingers but it’s difficult to remove. The reason is the filament in a spider web is one of the strongest materials on earth; its tensile strength is comparable to a high-grade steel. It’s thinner and lighter, which makes it such a wonder. If you could manufacture a strand of spider’s web thick as a pencil, it would hold a fully-loaded 747 Boeing Jet Airliner.

Now think of the church as a spiritual web, bonded stronger than steel. What holds us together? The Spirit, our “Charismata”, is our Divine bonding agent. Our gifts connect us, since all our needs are perfectly matched by all our gifts. There are different kinds of jobs, but we all work for God. When it comes to spiritual gifts, the Bible stresses two points: Don’t be ignorant about them (1 Corinthians 12:1), and don’t neglect yours (1 Timothy 4:14) The word “charismata” literally means “grace-gifts”. A part of the grace you receive through Jesus, comes in the form of a spiritual job assigned to you by the Holy Spirit for the good of others.

God will work through you in a different way than He works through me–but it’s the same God who’s doing the work. Where you plug into the body of Christ doesn’t give you more status or importance. Being in the body of Christ requires but one skill; you have to learn to do for others. When there is a need in the body of Christ, God answers it with a person. As a member of the body, you are a gift to the church. Perhaps, you may be the (only) answer to someone’s need.