Roles and Skills

Day 4: 1 Kings 5:13-18

Good morning, tektons! If you started reading about the building of the first temple in Jerusalem in 2 Chronicles, it sounds like King Solomon did it all himself: “The foundation Solomon laid for building the temple of God was sixty cubits long and twenty cubits wide (using the cubit of the old standard)....He overlaid the inside with pure gold. He paneled the main hall with juniper and covered it with fine gold and decorated it with palm tree and chain designs. He adorned the temple with precious stones. And the gold he used was gold of Parvaim. He overlaid the ceiling beams, doorframes, walls and doors of the temple with gold, and he carved cherubim on the walls.” (2 Chronicles 3:3-7) Of course, Solomon was not a stonemason, carpenter, goldsmith, jeweler or sculptor. As we read in our passage from 1 Kings he used a lot of craftsmen. Because he inspired and oversaw it all, though, the Bible says he did these things, the way we say a director made a film, though if you sit through to the very end you will see in the credits the hundreds of people who created all the elements that made up the movie.

God could do everything he wants to accomplish on this earth himself but he chooses to use us to build his kingdom. Through his Spirit he equips us with talents and skills. He calls us to fulfill various roles throughout the process. Sometimes we think there is just one way to serve God. We think that only ordained clergy are really serving God. But that's privileging those of us with the most visible skills and roles. I could not run these churches by myself. We have secretaries and treasurers and people who look after the upkeep of the building and grounds and people who set up the altar and people who select the music and people who teach the Sunday School and people who make the food and people who visit the sick and people who pray for everyone. Every person has a role. Or more than one.

Just as Paul compared our bodies to a temple of God's Spirit, he also compared the church to a body, with lots of parts and different functions, all under the direction of the head, who is Jesus. All the parts are vital even if their importance is not obvious. We used to think the appendix was a basically useless organ, prone to get inflamed. Therefore doctors doing any kind of surgery in the abdomen would often just remove it without qualms. But now some researchers say it acts as a storehouse for good bacteria, to reboot the gut after a bout of dysentery. Similarly, when cataloging the genes in our DNA, scientists encountered parts they thought were redundant or unnecessary, which they called junk DNA. Now they call them non-coding DNA, because they produce non-coding RNA components which are important in regulating things like the immune system's response to infection and cancer. It is not wise to think that any part of the body is useless and that includes any part of the body of Christ on earth. Which means you. God doesn't make junk.

You are at a time in life when you are discovering your talents and your skills. They in turn will help you discover your role and function in the body of Christ and in building God's kingdom. You may find more than one. And you will likely find them somewhere near the intersection of what you are interested in, what you are good at, what the world needs and where God puts you. It may take a while. I felt called in a vague way to the ordained ministry but I didn't actually get to there until my late 40s. But looking back, I can see that God, like a chess master, was maneuvering me to that point, while making sure I got a lot of experience that would come in handy and would make me wiser and more compassionate and more humble.

They say if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. He made you and knows where you belong and how you work best. He also knows what you need for the tasks ahead and he knows the best ways to hone your skills. So when he calls, say, like Samuel, “Here I am, Lord!” And prepare for surprises.

Let us pray: Lord God, King of the Universe, Heavenly Father, you made us and you equip us and you call us to work with you in building your kingdom. We know you really don't need us on your team and yet out of love you include us. Help us to listen for your call and be open to opportunities to serve you in ways we never anticipated but for which you have prepared us. Keep us flexible in mind and firm in our commitment to follow your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. We ask these things in his name, and through the power of your Holy Spirit, who live and reign with you, Father, one God forever and ever. Amen.