Thursday: Gifts We Need

Reflection: There is a difference between giving someone a seat and giving them a place. The Corinthians needed to learn that the members they overlooked were actually indispensable. You may carry that assumption without realizing it. You can begin to think of inclusion mainly in terms of what you can provide for someone else. Paul turns that thinking around. The body of Christ needs what every member brings. People with disabilities are not only recipients of ministry; they are people through whom God ministers to others. Their prayers, wisdom, service, faith, leadership, and perspective can strengthen the whole church. That means access is only the beginning. Belonging grows when people are invited to contribute. Look around our church with fresh eyes. Who is present but rarely asked to participate? Who has gifts you have overlooked? God may be calling you not simply to make room, but to receive from them.

Application Question: Whose gifts or spiritual contribution might you have overlooked because you were focused more on what they needed than on what God has given them?