"I was hungry and you gave me a drink; I was a
stranger and you received me in your home, naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you
took care of me, in prison and you visited me." When I was looking at the passage
for this day's Lenten devotional, I tried to relate it to the discovery and use of my own
spiritual gifts. However, in looking deeper into the passage I found more than I had
expected.
Jesus related several examples of how his blessed flock used their spiritual gifts of
compassion, kindness, and love to not only fill the earthly needs of others, but also
their spiritual needs.
Those not of his flock wondered to whom the Lord was referring. Certainly they would
have helped those whom they recognized as being of God or deserving of God's mercy. The
Lord replied that if they did not minister to the least of humanity, they did not minister
to him.
It was easier for me to understand what the Lord meant when I recalled how God made us
in his own image. Seeing the image of God in each person allowed me to see how we are all
of the same family of Christ: fallen, yet receiving God's mercy if we accept it, and
challenged to encourage others to seek it. I just have to keep getting the "log"
out of my eyes.
Jesus gave several examples of spiritual giving which were possible in biblical times.
Today we have the ability to communicate and coordinate over vast distances with the click
of a mouse or the pushing of telephone buttons. We can pool our talents by coming together
from miles around in a matter of minutes, and go back to our own individual lives in the
same amount of time.
We also can literally help people we don't even know thousands of miles away by our
contributions of time and money at home, and at the same time we can influence the
spiritual growth of a child in our congregation by our attention and guidance. The
question of spiritual gifts for me then becomes one of identifying my gifts, seeing the
image of God in each of us, and using it in my church, community and world to fulfill
God's plan for us in his world.
