The Courage to Celebrate--November 4, 2022

The Courage to Celebrate--November 4, 2022

"If all were a single member, where would the body be?  As it is, there are many members, yet one body.  The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you,' nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you'." [1 Corinthians 12:19-21]

As hard as it can be to acknowledge that we ourselves have value and gifts that are worthy of being welcomed--and it can be--it can be even harder to admit that we have needs which can only be met by the gifts that others offer, too.

Yesterday, we looked at the first of those two: we saw how Paul reminded the folks in Corinth that their gifts were important and valuable, even if they didn't seem to measure up when compared with someone else's gifts.  And yeah, it is so easy to start comparing ourselves to others and then to be disheartened when our abilities, talents, and gifts are different from someone else's.  We do have a way of assuming "different" means "inferior," after all.

But it can be even more challenging for us to admit we need others and their gifts, because that also means admitting our need in the first place.  And none of us like doing that.  To make matters worse, a lot of conventional wisdom says it looks "weak" to admit your needs; we are taught to hide our needs, deny we have any weak places, and instead point out the failures, flaws, or struggles of others to keep attention off of our own Achilles' heels.  It is just plain hard to say to someone else, "You have a talent or a gift that I don't--your ability makes me more complete."  It's hard to say, "We need your time, passion, and skill here--we can't do it without you."  And sometimes, it is just tempting to tell others, "We don't need you," rather than face our own shortcomings.

Again, so much of what makes it difficult is when we think we are in a competition.  It is hard to admit that someone else excels in an area I struggle with if I think there will be a winner declared... and a loser to be sent home sulking.  It is difficult to acknowledge that others are particularly talented if I am insecure about my own gifts, because I'm afraid that I'm not worthy on my own.  But what Paul does here is to break the power of that insecurity--if we dare to believe him, and to remind one another of what he has to say.  He reminds us that we do need others, and that it is not a sign of weakness to say that out loud, but rather a sign of honesty and strength--and therefore, of courage.  It is a brave thing to be able to say, "I can't do this on my own, but I need the help and strength you contribute."  It is a courageous thing to stop pretending any of us is self-sufficient or invincible, and instead to accept that we have needs that others can meet. Once I'm no longer afraid of saying that, I can honor and welcome your gifts, because I'm no longer ruled by fear of not measuring up.  Once we are done with treating the life of faith like a competition, we can joyfully welcome and honor the gifts others bring, rather than needing to put others down for lacking the particular strengths you might have.

Too many folks have heard exactly what Paul insisted we cannot say to one another:  "I have no need of you." Too many people have been told their gifts do not matter, their talents are not wanted, or their contributions do not have a place among the people of God.  And it is an utter shame when that happens.  But it doesn't have to be that way.  The only thing keeping those with Spirit-given gifts from using them to benefit all is our willingness to get out of the way and to quit blocking them.  When we are no longer insecure about the gifts of others, or how we measure up, we can celebrate the gifts the Spirit has chosen to give them and let them be fully tapped for serving God's people.  All it takes is our willingness to be brave enough let them.

If you have ever been in that place, of being told your gifts were not needed, or that your contribution was not wanted among the people of God, I'm sorry.  I'm sorry it happened, and I'm sorry it still happens.  I'm sorry when I have been the one shutting the door, too, whether I realized I was doing it at the time or not [I can be very dense].  But sorries don't have to be the last word, either.  Paul calls us to that new courage, the courage to welcome and celebrate the gifts others bring, even if those gifts reveal needs or lacks in my own set of skills and talents.  Today, let us be so brave.  Find someone today to tell, "We need exactly the gifts you bring," and make the room for their gift to be shared and honored.

Lord God, make us brave enough to honor the gifts you have placed in others, even when they are not like our own.