Hidden Foxes Series: Personality
1st Corinthians 12:4-7
Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
Think about the world we live in, there are over 200 countries, over 6 thousand different languages and tongues and God so strategically placed you wherever you are. He factored in all possible outcomes for your life before you were even a thought. He knew just what race, ethnicity, language, and the socio-economic background to put you in, all so you could be put on a path that would eventually lead back to him. Fast-forward to when you got saved. You are still in the same body, have the same family, and the same memories, although there is a difference. The difference is now Jesus Christ is living inside you. So why did God not just erase our memories? Why didn't we get a new body which reflects the new divine transformation?
What we tend to miss when we talk about personality is the fact that God too has a personality. God almighty creator of heaven of earth, desired to express himself as God through your Vessel! That family, that race, culture, and neighbourhood he placed you in was exactly where HE wanted to be, he wanted to express his love, his traits through you. The beauty in God’s plan is that those personal characteristics you have are also a way which God is able to express himself, even though we are saved and one spirit we all have varying gifts, ability and traits that God wants to utilize.
Sometimes however, we can tend to villainize some who don't do things a certain way or what we consider to be the ‘right way’ and make our way of doing something an absolute. Some even go as far as to use The Word to try to condemn others into doing something their way. I may be a Pastor , but before salvation I was in the streets, accustomed to dealing with drug dealers, was in and out of prison. These life experiences have purpose, now that same pastor can minister to those same people and not just through words but his life. The ones who we use to hang with, can see that change and life of christ manifested. Another pastor who has a totally different upbringing and way they preach is still able to save souls just as the pastor who came from the streets is. As the scripture says, there are diversities of gifts but the same spirit. God did not desire robots, the diversity is yet another reflection of just how great our God is. It is so important that we embrace the ways each of our brother and sisters have been gifted and encourage the gifts to flow so that Christ can be manifested to all. We cannot stifle , nor covet the gifts, of others or yourself.