NOTHING IS DISCOUNTABLE
What unites all Christians the world over is the God that we choose to worship. Going by practical example, God has given us abundance galore. Going by His Word and its promises…
"A faithful man shall abound with blessings…"
(Proverbs 28:20)
…of course given that we are faithful. Now after having been given this privilege, we must understand that each one is given in his own measure.
"…according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith…"
Romans 12:3
"…having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us…"
Romans 12:6
Now if we are given in our own measure of grace, then all forms of comparison in any context (excellence, form of expression, inclination or any other that there may be) are ruled out. No one is greater than he is and “ought not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think”. Furthermore, it also rules out any judgement and applied opinion/bias (thinking more than we ought) regarding such things.
By this evaluation, nothing in the Kingdom of God is discountable. Nothing should be taken for granted and nothing should be given any less value to but should be appreciated and valued “as they ought to be”.
Now the question arises - how much ought we to value and how much ought we not to value? How do we decide to what lengths it is that we should go to doing what we ought? What is it that which we ought to do in the first place?
The measure dealt out to us is the mandate of we ought and ought not think of ourselves. Measures dealt out vary according to the grace given to us and accordingly must we do as is our measure…
"Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness."
Romans 12:6-8
The question now is how to identify a measure dealt out in the first place. Measures of grace and the gifts thereof usually tend to be humanly categorised into broad distinctions (passable perfectly by normal human nature) and all proclaimed measures of grace and the gifts thereof as we may see them are not always true measures dealt by God.
Many things that may be considered to be such measures are sometimes used so that we make of ourselves that which is not in fact in line with what our true measure(s) of grace mandate and vice versa – we don’t recognise what indeed our measure is and are of no use in that respect (and in most cases in every other respect except that).
How then do we differentiate between a purported measure and a true measure of grace and the gifts thereof? Far from naming what true gifts given exactly are and are not, the Bible is very clear on what qualities these measures come with. For one, the weaker is given preference against the stronger, the unprivileged against the privileged, the one with lesser means against the one with more means…with equal support given to all members together suffering and rejoicing is done with an equal policy on sharing of burdens. Sufferance by one member eventually becomes sufferance by all once shared and similarly rejoicing.
"…and those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness…having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it…"
1 Corinthians 12:20 – 26
Another quality of measures meted out to us is when we have a need – supply chain going when everybody plays their role to fill in the puzzle and pitch in. We need to fill the gaps for each other for as much as we can and are given measures of abundance that enable us to. We also need to look to others to fill the gaps in us so that we can stand shoulder to shoulder with each other - each one as strong (rather as strengthened) as the other.
"But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:"
2 Corinthians 8:14
The practical implication of it is clearly, in simpler words, an as-long-as-we-can-be-of-any-good-let-us-be-of-what-good-we-can-be stance. So, if you can either assist someone else’s measure by fitting your measure into the puzzle and helping complete it or if you can be of any help at all to anybody in achieving what their measures mandate (or do both), then that you must. This also goes to explain the giving of more honour to the part which lacked. By assisting each other, we abolish any disparity between measures and ensure equality of strength for all measures and purposes.
Thereby, everybody in every capacity has a role to play whether “small” or “big” and nothing/no one can be discounted in the light of God’s big amazing plan.
"A faithful man shall abound with blessings…"
(Proverbs 28:20)
…of course given that we are faithful. Now after having been given this privilege, we must understand that each one is given in his own measure.
"…according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith…"
Romans 12:3
"…having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us…"
Romans 12:6
Now if we are given in our own measure of grace, then all forms of comparison in any context (excellence, form of expression, inclination or any other that there may be) are ruled out. No one is greater than he is and “ought not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think”. Furthermore, it also rules out any judgement and applied opinion/bias (thinking more than we ought) regarding such things.
By this evaluation, nothing in the Kingdom of God is discountable. Nothing should be taken for granted and nothing should be given any less value to but should be appreciated and valued “as they ought to be”.
Now the question arises - how much ought we to value and how much ought we not to value? How do we decide to what lengths it is that we should go to doing what we ought? What is it that which we ought to do in the first place?
The measure dealt out to us is the mandate of we ought and ought not think of ourselves. Measures dealt out vary according to the grace given to us and accordingly must we do as is our measure…
"Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness."
Romans 12:6-8
The question now is how to identify a measure dealt out in the first place. Measures of grace and the gifts thereof usually tend to be humanly categorised into broad distinctions (passable perfectly by normal human nature) and all proclaimed measures of grace and the gifts thereof as we may see them are not always true measures dealt by God.
Many things that may be considered to be such measures are sometimes used so that we make of ourselves that which is not in fact in line with what our true measure(s) of grace mandate and vice versa – we don’t recognise what indeed our measure is and are of no use in that respect (and in most cases in every other respect except that).
How then do we differentiate between a purported measure and a true measure of grace and the gifts thereof? Far from naming what true gifts given exactly are and are not, the Bible is very clear on what qualities these measures come with. For one, the weaker is given preference against the stronger, the unprivileged against the privileged, the one with lesser means against the one with more means…with equal support given to all members together suffering and rejoicing is done with an equal policy on sharing of burdens. Sufferance by one member eventually becomes sufferance by all once shared and similarly rejoicing.
"…and those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness…having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it…"
1 Corinthians 12:20 – 26
Another quality of measures meted out to us is when we have a need – supply chain going when everybody plays their role to fill in the puzzle and pitch in. We need to fill the gaps for each other for as much as we can and are given measures of abundance that enable us to. We also need to look to others to fill the gaps in us so that we can stand shoulder to shoulder with each other - each one as strong (rather as strengthened) as the other.
"But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:"
2 Corinthians 8:14
The practical implication of it is clearly, in simpler words, an as-long-as-we-can-be-of-any-good-let-us-be-of-what-good-we-can-be stance. So, if you can either assist someone else’s measure by fitting your measure into the puzzle and helping complete it or if you can be of any help at all to anybody in achieving what their measures mandate (or do both), then that you must. This also goes to explain the giving of more honour to the part which lacked. By assisting each other, we abolish any disparity between measures and ensure equality of strength for all measures and purposes.
Thereby, everybody in every capacity has a role to play whether “small” or “big” and nothing/no one can be discounted in the light of God’s big amazing plan.
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