Christians are gifted by God's Spirit with gifts that differ in kind and measure. Jesus told the parable of the talents which illustrates that gifts differ and he made no apology for that fact (Matthew 25:14-30). Paul affirms that the Spirit gave different kinds of miraculous gifts to first-century Christians according to His choice. The receiver was not asked his preference of gifts. Neither the gift received nor its measure indicated the spiritual maturity of the receiver. The gift did not guarantee that the receiver would always stand in God's favor.

As we read beyond our text in 1 Corinthians 12-14, we learn that miraculous spiritual gifts had several purposes. They blessed the individual, but the primary concerns were to be the blessing of the Lord's body and of those still unsaved. Those who treasured their gifts for themselves were misguided. Those who used their gift in loving concern for the brethren and the lost truly understood the meaning of the Spirit's gifts. Since God's revelation has been made complete, we are no less blessed by the non-miraculous gifts by which the Spirit blesses us today.

Are your gifts blessing others?