Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Power to the Powerless

We have different gifts according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. -Romans 12:6-8 (NIV)

Last night around 7:45, our lights flickered. I looked outside and the wind was blowing my trash can down the alley. Before I could even stand up from my chair, our power went completely out.

Normally I don't call the electric company to let them know that my power is out. I figure everyone else in Lincoln County will do that for me. But as I went outside to retrieve my trash can that by this time had to be near Park City, I noticed that most of my neighbors still had power. I began to covet them, thinking that out of respect for the powerless, my power-possessing neighbors should turn off all of their lights until mine came back on. They didn't.

I finally decided to call the electric company. It took a while to get through to the dispatcher (apparently I wasn't the only one without power). She assured me that Fayetteville Public Utilities was already at work trying to restore electrical power to the fine folks on 4th Avenue.

While I waited, I found myself thinking of and praying for the utility workers. I don't have a clue about how to restore power. How do they figure out what the problem when it's dark outside? What were these workers giving up (family time? sleep?) in order to get my power restored so that I could watch America's Got Talent? I thanked God for people who know how to restore power to the powerless. I thanked God for people who know things that I don't know and who do things that I can't do.

In our suggested scripture reading this morning, Paul reminds that each person has particular gifts. Only when each one of us shares our gifts with others (oftentimes without notoriety) is the world as sweet as it can be.

What are your gifts? What is your function in the world and in the body of Christ? How will you offer your gifts to Christ today? You may not know anything about electrical currents either, but I suspect that Christ can still use your gifts to restore power to the powerless, to bring light to someone's darkness, and to help people to see Jesus and His love.

May God grant you the grace to be a source of power, light, and love today. And if you see a Fayetteville Public Utilities employee today, tell them that I said thanks for restoring power so quickly last night.



If you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year, tomorrow's suggested readings are Proverbs 19-21 and Romans 13.

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