Our Maestro

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” 1 Co. 12:4-7

In my Bible Study this morning the body of Christ with all of its members was compared to an orchestra. To expound on that analogy we must first understand the importance of the leadership of the orchestra. There is but one leader in charge who possesses the direction and leadership to accomplish the overall goal of a beautiful arrangement of music. He has within his hands the design of involvement for each instrument and the timing for which it should be played. He alone determines the importance of that instrument applying the benefit of that gift at the proper time. The maestro knows when to silence one instrument so the beauty of others may be experienced.

With Christ as our Maestro, He assigns our gifts and determines our play. He leads and directs as to how it relates to the entire body of Christ. He will not allow the gift of one to overpower the other members of the Body. Each gift is essential and equally important to the common good of His work in the Kingdom.

‘Then again, though there are diversities of activities, as far as spiritual gifts are concerned, it is the same God who empowers each believer. If one gift seems more successful or spectacular or powerful than another, it is not because of any superiority in the person possessing it. It is God who supplies the power…The gifts are given for the profit of the entire body. They are not given for self-display or even for self-gratification but in order to help others.’ Believer’s Bible Commentary, p. 1790.

In my own family this principle holds true. God empowered me to form a ministry of writing but I have no income in this ministry to pay my expenses. God led my husband into forming his own business which affords him the financial ability to support my ministry. I cannot accomplish what my husband does as God empowers him and my husband cannot accomplish the writing ministry for which God empowers me. But both taken together are accomplishing what God determined as the common good. Our gifts are dependent upon each other providing more collectively than what we could provide individually. This is the concept for each of us as members of a unit working together for the common good of one mission - the mission of further God's Kingdom.

Every one of us has been empowered by God with an exact gift manifested through the Holy Spirit. Through prayer, meditation on His Word and practice in that gift we will together form a beautiful symphony of faith and give a divine performance.