Life-Changing Events

I had no idea I was nearsighted until I failed my vision screening test in the sixth grade. Once I got my first pair of glasses, I was blown away by what the world really looked like. Trees that had been green blobs now had individual leaves! I could read billboards along the road before our car actually passed them. My vision, now corrected, helped me see things I didn’t know I was missing.

But there’s a different kind of “I†trouble: the problem of not seeing beyond ourselves. Ever known someone who’s always talking about themselves? They feel the need to dominate every conversation, and they love letting you know about their every success! They aren’t very interested in what you have to say; their favorite words are I, me, and my.

Romans 12 reminds us it’s not all about us! As Christians, we all have different spiritual gifts. In God’s church, which is compared to a human body, each person is important. Each part has a special calling from God.

The cure for “I†trouble? Looking around and seeing what others bring to the body of Christ—as we all seek to worship Jesus, the Head (Ephesians 4:15). Laura N. Sweet

• What can “I†problems look like in the church?

• Why is it important to remember that every Christian has different spiritual gifts?

• Read Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28-30, and Ephesians 4:11-15. What are some spiritual gifts you see in other Christians you know? What are some of your spiritual gifts? (If you’re not sure, who is a trusted Christian adult you could ask—such as a pastor, youth leader, parent, or counselor?)

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:10 (NIV)

Read Verses:

1 Chronicles 16:8-11; Psalm 119:76