Nougat 2

Did you know that Faith is a meter-stick?

Check out today’s Holy Nougat

“Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

A meter-stick (aka yardstick) is a tool used for measuring great ie astronomical distances, but more so, it is a standard by which other similar objects or situations are judged. Thus, when we evaluate ourselves according to the faith given to us, the standard is Faith given by God, not the school of public opinion.

I hasten to note that Faith here is not so much about what we believe, though faith in Jesus influences the gifts being activated in our lives, it is more about our capacity to operate in a gift. Theologians at Valley Bible Church put it this way, a measure of faith is to be understood in ‘context of God equipping every believer with 1. unique gifts with which to build up the body of Christ [and] 2. the amount of faith required to use their gifts effectively’. I infer from this that we may even be specifically equipped for a particular situation for the sake of the body of Christ.

Additionally, what I don’t hear is that the gifts are to be sources of pride or rooted in competition! Not at all. I also don’t actually hear that any one gift ought to be prioritized over another. Yes, I understand, at Pentecost the newly minted apostles manifested the gift of tongues and many of us have used it as the meter-stick of anointing. Please note: Jesus did not manifest tongues as His first miracle, or as proof of being the Messiah. Well, not in unknown tongues as we understand it. (Yes, He spoke to people in terms they could relate to, but unless we refer to the parables as tongues, er… no). Nor was tongues the first sign manifested by the disciples in Luke 9:1-5; 10:1-9, 16-19.

Tongues, like English, Tombuka, Patois, or Samoan, are tools of spiritual communication, either with God or other believers. And, occasionally with unbelievers to help them hear and understand the Gospel. I know, I know – you all don’t agree with me but a quick visit to Acts 1 indicates that the new apostles spoke in the strange languages of those gathered … (in order that) they might hear, understand and believe this wonderful message of salvation through Jesus.

To prioritize tongues as greater than other gifts suggests to me that there should always be that visible presence of God, as Dove, Fire or Mighty Rushing Wind as was manifested as proof of Jesus to John, or the apostles in Acts 1. Further, I note that they never really manifested tongues in such a public manner after Pentecost.

Spiritual gifts ought to be visible in our lives, all of us who are believers. And that’s where God becomes the locus of manifestation. So when Sis or Bro So & So operates in a different gift from our own, we need to take it up with God, not the individual. And when we are earnestly yearning for a particular gift (like I do at times), we recognize that it may be rooted in the measure of faith God’s given for the time and season.

I close then with a serious question, are we truly operating the gift God has graciously given us, or are we wasting time watching others or feeling proud of our gifts?

—

May all we seek be found in Christ