God gives us gifts. Some in the form of talents. Not the financial kind of talents that Jesus uses in some of His parables. But actual talents. Skills that we receive and then hopefully use to further the kingdom. Some call these graces or charisms. Spiritual gifts that we receive free of charge from God. We all have some and I am pretty sure none of us have all. What would be the outcome if any of us had all possible charisms as gifts from God? Seems like it would be a really good thing…right?
I love parables that Jesus uses to illustrate points in His preaching. They typically use a subject familiar to the group He is speaking to and often has a twist in the expected outcome. So, I would like to try my hand at parable writing to explore the concept mentioned in the first paragraph. Why would someone not want to have every spiritual gift from God. Consider this feeble attempt at a parable:
An NFL professional football team is preparing for the NFL draft. The draft is where the teams in the league get to choose players, usually from the college level, to help build up their team and fill in weak points. The team we will consider, let’s say the Philadelphia Eagles since I live in Pennsylvania, has a glaring need for quarterbacks. PLURAL! They are in bad shape at this position. On draft day they choose a quarterback first in the draft. He is from Ohio State University and he has it all. He can throw, he can run and he has amazing stamina. Every team wants him but the Eagles have the first pick in the draft. So they take him, feeling really good about the pick, since they are strong at every other position. Several rounds later, much lower in the draft, they secure a second quarterback as a backup. He comes from a much smaller school and he does not have as strong an arm for passing and he can’t run well. He is what is called a “pocket-passer”. But what he does have is strong leadership skills. He can run an offense.
The number one draft pick is the defacto starter. After all, they used a number one pick to get him. Things don’t go well in the first two games. The franchise quarterback takes the team on his shoulders and tries to use the many skills God gave him to try to win single-handedly. He runs plays that feature him running the ball, failing to use the running backs that have proven, in past seasons, their capability of performing this task. He also doesn’t trust his receivers and often elects to scramble for yardage instead of passing to his group of talented wide receivers and tight ends. They lose miserably the first two games.
The coach makes a tough decision in week three and puts in the backup. The quarterback from the small school. He takes his gift of leadership and spreads the ball around. Giving off to his backs on one play. Throwing short to his tight end on another. Then going downfield to his talented group of receivers. The difference is striking. The team goes on a tear, winning the remainder of their games all the way to victory in the Super Bowl.
So why doesn’t God bless anyone with every gift? Because by doing so it would create an attitude of independence. Of a lack of need for others. By spreading around the graces, God forces us to work together. To form community. To lift up each other on our journey to heaven. We should lean on each other just as the backup quarterback did with his teammates.
I remember when growing up I always doubted myself. Confidence was not my thing. There always seemed to be someone better off than me. Better at sports, better at school, more popular, etc. Rather than look at what God had given me, I became jealous of the gifts they were given. I have learned over my lifetime to feel joy and happiness for those who succeed in areas of their lives that I do not and focus on the things God has given me. One of my past pastors like to use the term, “when we compare, we despair.” When we look on the attributes of others in jealousy we fail to develop those gifts that we were given. As Paul says today in the letter to the Ephesians:
we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ,
from whom the whole Body,
joined and held together by every supporting ligament,
with the proper functioning of each part,
brings about the Body’s growth and builds itself up in love.
We are many parts, but we are all One Body…in Christ.
