Becoming Great in God’s Eyes 2 – Tools for Serving

Matthew 23:11 (NKJV) – But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.

When thinking about tools, there are certain tools that are used for a specific task, and you wouldn’t ever think to use another tool.  For example, if you needed to drive a nail in wood, you would most certainly use a hammer, not a screwdriver.  God has given us specific tools to serve Him.  In fact, we are tools in the hand of God.

“I pray that you become one of God’s favorite tools.” – Anonymous

Do Not Think More Highly of Yourself

Do not think more highly of yourself.  This literally means to be intensely interested in one’s self.

“A lack of humility does not present itself as vanity.  Sometimes it presents as low self-esteem.” – Pastor Billy Johnson

1 Corinthians 4:7 (NLT) – What makes you better than anyone else? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if all you have is from God, why boast as though you have accomplished something on your own?

Now there are 4 tools that we see in Romans 12 starting in verse 3.

Everyone Has a Measure of Faith

Everyone has the ability to believe God to receive a portion of faith to exercise the gift that He has given.  In other words, the spiritual capacity and or the power given to each person to carry out his or her function in the church.

Everyone Has a Specific Place

We are one body, but individually we are limbs of one body.  We all are part, but we have a specific function.  The differences in our gifts make us unique.  The differences make us unified.

“That’s why you can’t be the body of Christ by yourself.” – Pastor Billy Johnson

Everyone Has a Special Grace

In Romans 12:6, we see the phrase, “having then gifts differing according to the grace…”  In this text, gifts mean charisma, abilities, and/or spiritual endowments.  And grace means God’s influence on the heart that reflects through our life.  So, one version of this text would be, having then abilities differing according to God’s influence on the heart.

Everyone Has a Spiritual Responsibility

In Romans 12:6, we see the ending phrase, “let us use them”.  We must operate our gift in His grace and strength, and not our own.  When you begin to use the gift God has given you, in His strength, you are actually refreshed by it.