1 Corinthians 12:4-11 The Tools We Are Given
“God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful: wise counsel, clear understanding, simple trust, healing the sick, miraculous acts, proclamation, distinguishing between spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues. All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when” (MSG).
I realize that is a long quote, but it is all relevant to the tools we are given to use. I spent several years as business manager in both Vail School District and Grace Christian School. In both places I was responsible for compiling the annual supply orders for all the teachers into one large order. When this large order was received, it was then my responsibility to distribute the various supplies to the correct teachers. There were general supplies that every teacher ordered, and specific supplies that teachers ordered according to their teaching specialties. Math teachers ordered different things from English teachers, and history teachers ordered different supplies from science teachers. Elementary teachers tended to order many of the same items.
There is a big difference between the teachers supplies and the tools of the Christian worker. The school teacher decides what supplies he needs, but the Holy Spirit decides and distributes the appropriate tools for each Godly task. According to the Scripture above, God provides the tools we need. Some people minister mainly in the healing of the sick, and some minister mainly in the giving of words of wisdom for difficult situations. As the Scripture says, everyone is given the particular tool or tools he or she needs for the assigned task. The last sentence of verse eleven tells us that the Holy Spirit decides “who gets what and when.” The implication in that verse can be that anyone can receive any of God’s great tools at any time, and perhaps could receive different tools at different times for different purposes. Some may interpret these verses to mean that a person would be given one specific tool for his or her lifetime. I don’t know which of these interpretations is correct. I will leave that for you to decide which you believe to be correct. God has already decided and the Holy Spirit will distribute the appropriate tool at the appropriate time for each assigned task. All we need to do is be ready and willing to do God’s will. He will make us able. All the tools are in the tool storehouse of the Holy Spirit, and He knows what tool needs to go where and when it needs to be there. He will do whatever is necessary for the completion of God’s plan on earth. Praise be to God!