I love to watch an active church work. Especially when the people truly love one another. It’s like watching a well-oiled machine. Each component doing a different job while working together to accomplish the same purpose.

For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. -Romans 12:3-8

God gave us different talents that we must use in His service. Paul highlighted some of these in Romans 12. Sometimes though, Christians use this fact as an excuse not to serve. Excuses like, “It’s not my gift” or “I’m really bad at ____” permeate the church. Let’s be honest. Some are better singers. Some are better encouragers. Some are better teachers. Some are better at serving others. Simply because _____ is not our gift, does not absolve us from stepping in and helping whenever the need arises. The opening verses of Romans 12 seem to highlight the need to be busily serving God each day.

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. -Romans 12:1-2

The gifts God has bestowed on us hinge on the commitment we made when becoming Christians. We dedicated our lives to Him. We no longer belong to ourselves. Through our daily, living sacrifices, we recommit ourselves to God. Focusing on service, we renew our minds. Life is no longer about us but about Him. Through our daily efforts to live like Christ, we glorify God.

But not on our own. Christianity was never meant to be a solo feat. It was meant to be a brotherhood.

…we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. -Ephesians 4:15b-16

As we use our talents, we build each other up to be more Christ-like and we are transformed into more pleasing, daily sacrifices to God. Remember, God’s not looking for capable servants. He’s looking for willing ones. He will make us capable if we allow Him.