1 Corinthians12: 1-11
Passage: 1 Corinthians 12:10. . . . .to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discerning of spirits . . . (NKJV)
One day a father and his rich family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing him how poor people can be. They spent a day and a night at the farm of a very poor family. When they returned from their trip, the father asked the son:"How was the trip?"
"Very good, Dad!
"Did you see how poor people can be?" the father asked.
"Yeah!"
"And what did you learn?"
The son replied: "I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden; they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lamps in the garden; they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard; they have the whole horizon."
When the little boy was finished speaking, his father was speechless. His son added, "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are."
As children frequently do, this young boy was able to see the picture more clearly than his father. He was able to discern the difference between society's value of material possessions and the much larger picture of the wonder of God's universe, and which was truly important. It is so easy to be caught up in our society's ideas of what is important rather than seeing beyond that to the larger picture. Discernment is on of the spiritual gifts discussed in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11. Let's pray today for a gift of discernment so we may be able to distinguish what is truly a gift from God and what society tells us us important.
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your constant presence in our lives. Give us the insight to discern Your gifts to us each day rather than focusing on society's values. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Re-printed with permission of N. Fish from St. Mark's Lenten Devotional 2002
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