The Flagellation of Jesus, posted by Jay QYour Gifts, Your Values -- QuineConclusion—What Gift?
It is Easter dinner. Everyone who should be is there. Mom and Dad, your brothers and sisters are there. Cousins, nieces and nephews: all present. It’s a great family gathering! The lamb is perfectly done—with a nice wild herb marinade, having penetrated the meat wonderfully. There it sits on the center of the platter, surrounded by a ring of new potatoes and parsley. And here it comes—carried out to the dining room table where everyone is seated. It’s heavy, and your holding it out, slightly unbalanced—whoa! you stumble on the rug! Down it all goes on the floor. You dive for it, but too late!
Notice how the spiritual gifts come into play. The person gifted in service jumps up, and heads into the kitchen for paper towels, and another tray.
The teacher stands up and explains, “the reason why that happened is that it was unbalanced—two thirds of the weight was towards the front so that even a slight angle would spill the entire contents.”
The exhorter adds, “there are three things we can learn from this experience…”
The merciful smiles and says, “Hey, this is no big deal. I remember when I did the same thing when I was first married in front of my new mother-in-law.
The administer gets up pointing, “Okay, okay, where do we go from here? Is it salvageable. Tom, look up a number for pizza. Jill, take a look at those potatoes—will they work? Sam, see if you can get that lamb picked up off the floor and wash it off. Is it too late to make any more herb marinade?”
The giver puts on his coat and declares, “Don’t worry about it, I’m off to the nearest deli to buy some more meat. I’ll take care of the whole thing.”
The person with faith says, “This is no problem for God. Don’t get upset. Let’s just take a moment and pray.”
The wise sage among them says, “God has His purpose behind this. If we work together, forgive and love one another we can still enjoy a marvelous meal. Remember, in all things give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.”
The beginning of this study noted that God has called us. He has called us to a great banquet—a banquet in celebration of that which the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us. In the meantime, get involved, discover and employ your spiritual gifts and enjoy the journey, for there is a great meal coming!
