Giving Relief

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

GIVING RELIEF

1 Cor 12:27-31

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts.

And now I will show you the most excellent way.

NIV

There is a new gift mentioned here in this list and that is the gift of helping others. The Greek word here means directly that, although it carries the meaning of relief or aid. To give someone relief, to give them aid, or helping them so their burden is not too much to bear. This might be difficult to distinguish from the normal humanitarian aid of which there is so much given. There are many people who help other people in various ways, almost too many to even attempt to enumerate. So then, how do we determine the difference between the Spirit manifesting the gift of help, and the ordinary human helping his fellow man? We would think this gift, like the rest of them, would have to be something supernatural, rather than humanitarian. There are some people who naturally gravitate toward being helpful, which others seem not to be, although if asked, are willing to lend a helping hand. However, that is not the gift of help. Sometimes we get the impression that we own these gifts, or that they permanently reside within us. That is to say, the Spirit choices who he will manifest one of his gifts in and that is it for the rest of time, that gift remains within, or with us. This might be due to seeing a pastor as a long-time recipient of that gift. However, that may not be the case, as there may be many pastors who may have been called, and spent years in study to receive enough education to be credentialed by a denomination, but may not be the gift of pastor to the church. A gift by definition is just that a gift, and it requires nothing from the receiver, other than to open it, it is freely given, at no cost to the recipient. Of course, within any organization, rules apply and qualifications for entry or membership may exist, and such is the case for the position of pastor. One has to apply for that position and meet the organization's qualifications to be granted the right to be a pastor, and then in some churches, need the approval of the board, and actually be hired, while other churches send their pastors where needed. With this gift of help, it could be that same way, in that a person may have this gift residing within and simply is always about helping, while that could also be simply their natural disposition. Again, how do we determine if the gift is active within someone, and does the Spirit chose to reside this gift as a permanent part of a person’s life? If we think of this gift as giving relief, as the Greek word suggests, then maybe that is different than helping, or at least, beyond normal helping. To give relief gives us the impression that the pressure of a particular burden is lifted from someone, they have been relieved from that burden, given relief, freed from it by the aid of this gift of help by the Spirit. This would need to be supernatural to be able to give relief, to free someone from their burden.