Morning Moments

Let's play a little imagination game today.

Imagine you and your family are sitting at the table for a meal with guests. Down south we would usually serve iced tea for lunch or dinner (dinner or supper). Now suppose one of the guests knocks the glass of tea over. What would be the response of the others? This is a good way to determine the natural God given gifts of others.

The person with the gift of administration or ruling might say, "Somebody get a towel to clean this up."

The person with the gift of mercy might say, "Oh, I am so sorry, did you get it on your dress?"

One with the gift of giving might say, "Here, take my tea. I did not drink it."

Another with the gift of serving might say, "Let me get you another."

The one with the gift of teaching might say, "Let's place this glass here and it will not be in your way."

The one with prophecy might say, "If you had placed that glass here, that would not have happened."

The one with the gift of exhortation might say, "That's alright, we can get you another glass of tea.

Now add to this the difference in personalities: Choleric, Sanguine, Phlegmatic, and Melancholony, together with one's inheritance and experience, and you find that we are all very different. We see differently, think differently, feel differently and choose differently.

This is one major reason we are not to judge one another. The sanguine is usually louder and the first to speak, the melancholic milder (almost apologetic) the phlegmatic almost passive but very comtemplative, and the choleric forceful with a tendency to be more concerned with the project than with people.

Each of us is a combination of these differences, just as we have one nose, two eyes, one mouth, and two ears and all look different.

You nor I can know the motive or heart of any other person. We sometimes presume to, but we do not. We can damage our children by trying to make them something or someone they are not.

Two people may be the very best of friends though totally different if they understand their differences. Others may favor one or the other, but neither is necessarily more important, smarter, or more effective than the other. We are all (true believers) a part of the same body in Christ, so we must encourage each other, not discourage each other. If we are doctrinally inaccurate or morally impure, bring someone close to us to help us as Aquila and Priscilla. But help the rest of us trust you with one another.

PRAYER: Lord, You chose 12 apostles who were all different, just as we are. In your wisdom, you did not make nor expect them to be the same. Please help us to understand that about one another.