Epiphany
February 14, 2020
Scripture Reading:
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building. –1 Corinthians 3:5-9
None of us are perfect; all of us are gifted with abilities to make this world we live in reflect the love that God longs for us to live. None of us can do everything; God created a diversity of people so that all that needs to get done can. No gift is better than any other; the staff who clean operating rooms are as responsible for the success of the surgery as the surgeons. Celebrating the gifts of one another is a good thing as we strive together to create the world God envisioned for God’s children; creating hierarchies of worth is a waste of time and energy as we are all created in the image of God. “to whom much is given, much will be required” (Luke 12:48) relates to responsibility not privilege.
We live in a world that tends toward tearing down rather than building up. That is never more present than in an election year were we-the-people must discern the leadership we need to succeed as a country, state, county, or city. We would be wise to take Paul’s admonitions to heart, as we prayerfully consider what kind of government we want and who can best deliver it by maximizing the gifts of all our citizens as we strive to work together for the Common Good.
Prayer: Lord, help us to take the time to consider what is the Common Good. Guide us in our discernment of who can best represent us in achieving the Common Good. Amen.
All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.