April 3, 2000
Lesson for April 9
FAMILY BIBLE SERIES:
Don't overlook any of God's meaningful gifts
___1 Corinthians 12:1-30
___By Stacy Conner
___First Baptist Church, Muleshoe
___We recently completed the construction of a new kitchen facility at First Baptist Church in Muleshoe. As we approached a new millennium, we recognized we worship and minister in buildings that were built by generations before. These were faithful people who gave a gift to the future so the proclamation of the gospel might continue. It was our hope this would be a gift of a ministry that would serve this community for years to come.
___This also was a recognition on our part that the gift of hospitality is very important in people's lives. During our dedication service, I relayed the story of my next-door neighborI had growing up. Her name was Amy. She was a retired school cafeteria cook. Although she cooked for 600 children every day, she never tired of cooking for others. But she had this knack of knowing what was going on in people's lives and ministered through baked goods. If you received a promotion, she would be there with the congratulatory cake that really put the proverbial icing on the cake.
___If you received a good medical report or great report card, she would celebrate with you.
___But there were those tough moments, when she delivered her gifts of love.
___You could see her leave, a hair scarf over her head, a pan of freshly made rolls covered by a cup towel in her hand.
___She would get into her old Buick and drive away like the wind. With those rolls sitting in the front seat, she was gone to the east side of town.
___There among poor people, she would deliver those heavenly rolls. Bearing these rolls that were too good for margarine and deserving of only the finest name-brand jelly, she would walk up onto the porch of a house that needed painting and deliver a blessing.
___Amy was not concerned with anyone's position, only their plight. The bank president enjoyed the same rolls as the farm laborer. The doctor ate the same pie as the patient. The business person ate the same cake as the custodian.
___There were times when she would venture over to the house where conflict was swirling. With cake in hand, she would walk up to the steps of the rumored adulterer, offer the cake and say, "God loves you, you know."
___With pie in hand, she would walk down the sidewalk of the family that had just declared bankruptcy, and she would say, "God loves you, you know."
___She was not worried about the net worth, only the self-worth of that family.
___Sometimes, we overlook people like Amy. We focus on the visible gifts everyone sees or hears, and we forget about those silent gifts that touch lives in such wonderful ways. Those who impact our lives for Christ may do so in the simplest of ways. The emphasis of the 12th chapter of 1 Corinthians is to be careful we do not overlook anyone's gift. "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good."
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