You Are Important to God

By Susie Frederick

Each member of the body of Christ is important. Christ’s body, the church (Rom. 12:4-5), is compared to a human body. Like the human body, each part has its own special job to perform. (See 1 Cor. 12:14-27.)

Just as God gave a job to each part of the human body, each member of Christ’s body also has a job to do. No two Christians are alike, so when one is absent or not working, the whole body suffers. An important part of the body is missing.

What is your job in the body of Christ? What talents did God give you that you are using for Him? Do you teach home Bible studies or classes for children or classes for other women? Do you help care for people who are sick? Do you sew to provide clothing for people who need it? Are you teaching God’s will to your own family? Are you showing hospitality to others? God does not expect you to do more than you are capable of doing. But He expects you to use and develop the talents and abilities which you do possess. Don’t be afraid to try to develop a talent which you are not using now. God will help you when you are working for Him.

In Matthew chapter 25, Jesus told a story about a man who entrusted his servants with money while he went on a journey. He gave each servant an amount of money which that servant had the ability to use. One servant was given five talents of money to use. He invested wisely and gained five more talents. Another servant was given two talents. He also invested wisely and gained two more talents. The third servant was given only one talent, but he did not use even that one wisely. He did not invest it, and he did not lend it out to receive interest. Instead, he hid it in the ground until his master returned. The master was pleased with the first and second servants, but he was angry with the third servant. The talent that had not been used wisely was taken from the third servant and was given to the first servant. Then the master caused the unprofitable servant to be sent out into the darkness.

Jesus told this story to show us what will happen if we do not use the abilities God has given us. If we have abilities that we hide or do not use, God will remove them from us. We should not say, “I do not have as much ability as she does, so I will let her do the work.” God has given certain abilities to each of us, and each of us is important. If each Christian woman will serve God with whatever ability she may have, God will be pleased with her. The master in the story was as pleased with the second servant (to whom he had given two talents) as he was with the first servant (to whom he had given five talents), because that second servant had handled the money wisely. Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 12 not to think that because we do not have a particular talent we are in some way inferior to the person who has that talent. God gives talents to each individual according to His plan. Every person must use his or her own God-given abilities to help the whole body work as it should (Eph. 4:16).

Notice also that if we use our abilities wisely, God will entrust us with even more. Jesus said, “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away” (Matt. 25:29).

There is no one else like you. No one else can take your place. No one else has the same abilities or opportunities you have.

Let us all find what our talents are, and do our best — through study, prayer, and use — to develop them fully. God will help us, and when we are ready, He will bless us with even more abilities to use in building up the church, the body of Christ.