1 Corinthians 14:4, 6-12 4Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. ... 6Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. 12So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.
A few weeks ago I experienced one of those rare moments with “extra” time on my hands. Turning on television, I found a landscaping show with neighbors competing to build the best backyard. This neighbor needed a larger patio; that neighbor needed a garden retreat. Each person has their own needs; each need seemed more important than their neighbor’s need. Okay—enough. Let’s change the channel and try watching a cooking show. No, wait…it’s a race to see who can complete the best meal. This cook needs to win; that cook needs to win. How about home renovation shows? The home-owners have a great house…but it doesn’t meet their needs because the cabinets are the wrong color and the flooring is outdated. I was soon reminded of the reason I do not watch much television! Everything seemed so self-centered. With the exception of changes in topic; each show had a universal theme: All About Me.
Our Bible passage for today reminds us we are to focus on those things that edify the church. The two-fold topics of prophecy and tongues are challenging topics; ones that could and should take several hours of exploration to fully discern correct understanding. But the problem identified by Paul is universal, and still is problematic today: All About Me. Believers were using the more flashy gift of speaking in tongues to draw attention to themselves, rather than to edify the church. We must remember the ways of the world will always tempt us to focus on self—but the ways of the Lord teach us to focus on love, which includes encouraging, building up, and edifying others.
Gracious Heavenly Father, our LORD God Almighty,
May our lives be full of encouragement and love for others, and in so doing, may we be living witnesses for Thee.
In the Name of Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior, Amen.
The devotion All About Me was originally written for Thursday, March 15, 2012; for Maranatha Devotional Guide, an Advent Christian Publication https://acgc.us As the original author of this devotion, I reserve the right to update and share it on my current devotional blog Write From My Heart at https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com
Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com
Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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