Be
Alert And Of Sober Mind
So That You May Pray
The end of all things is
near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all,
love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer
hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever
gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in
its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the
very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God
provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him
be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1
Peter 4:7-11
God has bestowed us with
individual differences and preferences. It’s okay if we don’t have the same
hobbies, eat the same foods, or dress alike. We are each uniquely and “wonderfully
made.”
Jesus’s disciples didn’t
check their characteristics at the door before entering His world. Peter was so
impulsive that he cut off a servant’s ear the night Jesus was arrested. Thomas
insisted on evidence before believing Christ had risen. The Lord didn’t reject
them simply because they had some growing to do. He molded and shaped them for
His service.
When discerning how we
might best serve the Lord, it’s wise to consider our talents and
characteristics and to sometimes say, “It’s not me.” God may call us out of our
comfort zone, but He does so to develop our unique gifts and personalities to
serve His good purposes. We honor His creative nature when we permit Him to use
us as we are.
There
are no ordinary people – we were created to be unique.
Our
Daily Bread – March 12, 2017