Show your Appreciation to All Believers!

Show your appreciation to all believers!

“Now if the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.16 And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’” (1Cor. 12:15-21).

How we interpret the value of the gifts of the Holy Spirit can unify or divide the fellowship of the church. When the wordily value determined the value of the gifts, believers with gifts that were less visible such as faith, mercy, service, and prayer were considered insignificant and thought of themselves less needed (vv. 15-16) How much do we express our appreciation to those who are being faithful to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, whether they are visible or invisible gifts? When you are inspired by the sermons of your pastors, you should share your gratitude, but, how often do we show our appreciation to other believers who serve our churches in greeting, prayer, and cleaning team? You may know the names of your elders and leaders, but you may not know the names of other volunteers who are faithful to their responsibilities and gifts behind the scene in the kitchen or stage.

I see this parking lot volunteer who always welcomes people outside on the Lord’s Day, and one day, I stopped, thanked him for his service, and tried to get to know him. Later, he became my friend and told me that I was the first person to stop and appreciate his service. It may sound like a small thing, but show your appreciation to all believers for the unity of our fellowship. It may not change the mode of your fellowship over a night, but I truly believe that God will use our intention and appreciation to unite us and strengthen the fellowship of his church.