The Bees
“Now
there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
There are differences of ministries, but the same
Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but
it is the same God who works, all in all”
(1 Corinthians 12:4-6)
When my children were little, I
played “Hector the Spider” with them. “Hector” was
my hand, which would “walk” rapidly toward them like
a spider walks, and would tickle them if they didn’t
get away. “Hector” later evolved into “Hector the
Spider Bee,” and then into a series of other “bees”
which included Honey Bee, Busy Bee, Huggy Bee, Super
Bee and literally dozens more. The point was always
the same: the “bees” would “buzz” toward them,
followed by tickling. Squealing would occur and it
was a time of good fun.
I’m currently reading the book,
“Around the Table, A Year
of Meditation,” by George Boose, which
contains a series of fascinating suggested
illustrations for communion services. Page 57 is
entitled “Busy as Bees,”
which looks at the inhabitants of a typical bee
hive, which interestingly can house as many as
80,000 bees. A couple of them we know about, such
as the “queen,”
specializing in reproduction. We also know about “foragers”
that collect food for the hive from the world
outside.
Mr. Boose described “guard
bees” that protect the hive from intruders.
Additionally there are “undertaker
bees” that remove and dispose of dead bees
from the hive. Still others are “water
collectors” who bring moisture back to
regulate humidity. “Plasterer”
bees build and repair damages to the hive, and there
are “scent fanners”
stationed at the entrance. They fan scents outward
to signal the location of home to lost forager
bees. Finally, “scout”
bees circle around and alert the hive to possible
dangers nearby.
We can understand that, without
the queen, the hive would be doomed to extinction
within a very short time. But survival depends on
the others as well, just as God’s people depend on
one another, even when we don’t know that we do.
One thing you don’t see with
bees is the bickering so commonly found within
groups of people. Here’s how it would be for us if
we were bees: The “scouts” would accuse the
“plasterers,” “guards” and others of being cowards,
because they do not leave the hive. The “guards”
would accuse the “scouts” of dereliction of duty,
stating they were deserting their posts. The
“queen” would buzz at everyone who didn’t reproduce
like she did, the “undertakers” would be irritated
that the “plasterers” and others weren’t disposing
of bodies like they were “supposed to,” and so on.
In the “body” of Christ, the
church, here’s what happens: the “evangelist” is
drawn to bring others to the Lord and will do so
whenever possible. A problem can be found here if
they become secretly or openly incensed that all
others aren’t doing the same. Some “teachers” are
astonished that all Christians don’t seek the same
expository understanding of Scripture that they do.
The one who “helps” is concerned about those who
don’t seem to want to help. Those who have special
gifts of faith and/or prayer, tend to be astounded
that all the rest aren’t like them, and so on.
Here again is our Scripture
verse for today: “Now there
are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There
are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of activities, but it is
the same God who works, all in all” (1
Corinthians 12:4-6). Paul, the author of the
Corinthian letters is very careful to point out that
our gifts, our ministries and activities will not be
the same, and yet it is the same Spirit, Lord and
God that leads us all. Paul continued with a
partial list of the gifts given to people by God,
and as we continue through that chapter, we’re drawn
to conclude that ALL who have faith in the Lord are
gifted for service through the Holy Spirit.
You personally may not LIKE
some of the gifts listed by the Holy Spirit through
Paul, but notice that GOD gives them to us as HE
chooses, and HE is pleased with them (1 Corinthians
12:18). We know that God is good and that He loves
us and has invited us to be in the body of Christ.
If He is good (and He is very good), and if He has
tenderly, carefully and lovingly created us through
our parents and recreated us in Christ, then we
should be content. We have no reason to be envious
of or worried about the work of anyone else. We
have no basis to ever feel superior, for whatever is
good about us was given through the power and love
of God.
Decades ago I met and was
delighted by a wonderful little black man named
Stanley Johnson. (If you know Stanley Johnson,
please tell him that I would like to meet him
again). Stanley had the gift of evangelism like few
people you and I will ever know. Here’s how it
worked in and through him: He would walk into a room (I
saw him do this) and begin to talk in a soft voice,
quoting Scriptures that all of us know. Within 15
minutes, everyone in the room would have their heads
bowed and be receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and
Savior. Stanley would take walks in the morning and
after work. If anyone else was walking on the same
sidewalk, he would speed up or slow down until they
were walking together and within minutes, his new
companion would be receiving the Lord. Stanley
would pick up hitch hikers with the same result – He
talked, they listened and received Jesus into their
hearts.
Much like Billy Graham, the
gift exercised God through Stanley Johnson had two
parts: 1) He spoke simple words as the Spirit led
him, and 2) the same Spirit touched his listeners
with the understanding that a) the words he spoke
were true, and b) they should respond to the call of
God.
Stanley DIDN’T expect those
around him to do what he did. He did NOT complain
about others in the body of Christ, who “weren’t
doing their part.” He merely did what he did and
many came to the Lord through him. Others could
criticize Stanley, asking “Where’s the follow-up?
Why didn’t he follow through with those he led to
the Lord?” But they miss the point: The new convert
will be DRAWN to come to YOU, to YOUR gift given by
the Spirit of God. Stanley only began the work,
which was his job in the body of Christ.
Much like Stanley, much like
the bees, we simply do what we do, and God makes the
big picture happen. And we are to accept one
another, for we are all one in Christ.
Father, help me do what I am
called to do & fill me with Your love. In Jesus
Name. Amen.
