But along with such a blessed variety of gifts, there is also a potential for conflict. This happened in the ancient church of Corinth. Paul had to remind the Corinthian Christians (1 Cor 12:21-23) that:
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we need are less honourable we treat with special modesty.
When a person receives Jesus as Lord and Saviour, God the Holy Spirit gives to that Christian a special ability called spiritual gift (1 Cor 12:4). There are several things you need to know.
First, when we serve together in a ministry, where you are strong in an area because you are gifted, another when compared to you would seem weaker when he does not have that gift. In such a case, it is important that you, who are gifted in that particular area, do not regard that person as less useful or important. He too has his own gift in which he is more capable than you and that gift is also critical to the well being of the church. Thus, no one should feel overly important or not important. The way gifts should work is this: whenever a particular gift is required, allow that person to properly exercise his gift. To use an analogy, when you need to see where you are going, let the eye lead the leg as to where the body should be moving towards. It would be a disaster if the leg tells the eye where to go. But neither should the eye do the walking. Allow the leg to properly function.
Second, some Christians receive a gift that enables them to serve in an area which is conspicuous to everyone. Others, however, receive a gift that requires them to serve in the background where they are not as noticeable. When you are noticed, praised or encouraged by others, remember that there are others who have been quietly doing their part but who may not have been recognised. It is not that we need to be praised by man. Rather, everyone at one time or another needs encouragement because life is a tough race. Thus, when you serve, be aware that the reason why you could be effective in your area of service is because someone else has laid the ground work for you so that you could exercise your gift. Remember to thank and encourage that person who works in the background.
Third, do remember, as we heard in last week’s sermon, for your service to please God, you must serve God with a self denying attitude—always seek to glorify God and God alone. Second, you are only really serving God when you serve man, that is, when you are your brother’s or sister’s servant. Your objective in serving is to build lives, so that those who work with you may be encouraged to love God more and grow spiritually, and not simply to get things done efficiently.