How do you know you are in step with God? What you do and how you do it benefits others. 

How do you know when a person is exalting himself or herself rather than God? What they do benefits themselves no matter how it affects others. 

If your special abilities do not help others, don’t call them spiritual gifts. God-given gifts do not function like iPad apps. We are not the end users. God-given gifts empower us to focus on the needs of others to their benefit and God’s glory. To glorify God is to help people see how good he is. 

The exercise of spiritual gifts is about extending grace. They come from one source (verse 4) for one purpose (verse 7). Spiritual gifts are not about gaining publicity or getting rich. They are about exalting God and enriching others. 

What do God’s gifts given to you make possible today? Who needs your particular service? How can you deliver that service in such a manner that the person or persons receiving it see how good God is even if they do not remember your name? 

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I will express the gifts God gives me to build up others and to help them see how good God is. 

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Our Father, I am weak, but you are strong. I need your strength to empower me to flee from temptation. I need your exit pathways. Build in me the self-discipline to find the exits before I need them. Amen.