What's Better, your gifts or Mine?

Romans 12:3-8

Verse 6 is clear:  "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us."

Doe that verse imply that some gifts are better than others?  No, it does not.  But let's be honest.  We have ALL at one point in our lives made value judgments about gifts or talents.

• The blue collar guy isn't as successful as the white-collar professional.
• The preacher is obviously more important than the cleaning lady.
• It's necessary to serve coffee at church, but it's way more important to teach Sunday School.
• The gift of prophesy is way cooler than the gift of showing mercy.

And on we go, creating a hierarchy of gifts and abilities.  Where does this come from?  Is it our innate desire to always need to have someone to look down on?  Simply put, it is sin, and nowhere in scripture does God tell us that one gift or one profession is better than another.  Colossians 3:23 puts it well:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.  (emphasis added.)

  

Brother Lawrence in his famous devotional book,The Practice of the Presence of God,  reminds us of the sacred role work has in our lives:

"The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen...I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament."

Do you have the gift of serving?  Of teaching?  Use those gifts joyfully whether you are serving kings or the lowliest of people.  And ask God to give you a heart that recognizes that no matter how menial, how routine the task, it can be done with an attitude of prayer and Thanksgiving.  

Lord, my work may not be high profile or 'spiritual,' or it may be very important and churchy.  What matters is my heart and how I serve you through work.  Help me this week to serve you in the mundane and tedious moments and to recognize that I can glorify you through all that I do,  Amen.