But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”

Ephesians 4:7, 8

Imagine for a moment Christ building his church on the earth, made up of people like you and me, followers of Jesus and committed to Him with all our hearts, but varied beyond imagination!  We need to recognize that and live with others who bring the gifts that God has given them to the building project.   Paul is clear, to each one of us grace has been given (gift/gifts) as Christ apportioned it.  Note, we do not choose our gifting or place, that is the work of Jesus Christ himself, full of wisdom and understanding.  I like the word, apportioned.  Each gets a portion!  Not all but a portion.

Come to think of it, I know no one who is like me!  Each of us is a saved and sanctified individual, ready to become part of this amazing body of believers on the earth.  God has designed that each person has a place in the multitude of places in that body, including you and me, and people of every tribe and nation, language and culture, now and forever.

We need one another desperately.  Paul calls it grace – grace to take our parts in this unique thing on the earth, the body of Christ, often called the Kingdom of Our Lord.

Christ carefully chose us to fit into his body and gifted us in such a way that we support all members in the body and are enabled to work side by side in the growth of the Kingdom.

All of this is God’s work. There is a place there for each of us. Each believer brings gifts to God as individual contributions.  Together they contribute to the building up of the Body of Christ, the church.

I like Paul’s concept here, giving further credence to the wonderful giftings in the Body.  Jesus is the liberator of those gifts, like a conqueror who frees the gifts and then gives them freely to others.  I stand in awe when I think of it.

We have had four leaders in the Tanzania Mennonite Church in our home a few days ago, a most grarifying visit, if I may say so.  Each of these four amazing men were gifted by God, like you and I, so when we are in fact together, we are the Body, the instrument of God’s grace today – each part doing what God enables it to do.

No other vision of human unity comes near this.  Praise God and thank him eternally.