Everyday Prophets

Are you a prophet?  Do you prophesy?

Pursue love and strive for the spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy. For those who speak in a tongue do not speak to other people but to God; for nobody understands them, since they are speaking mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, those who prophesy speak to other people for their building up and encouragement and consolation. Those who speak in a tongue build up themselves, but those who prophesy build up the church. Now I would like all of you to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. One who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. - 1 Corinthians 14:1-5

In his first letter to the Church in Corinth, Paul makes a distinction between building up oneself and building up the church.

While both prophesy and speaking in tongues result from gifts of the Spirit, it is the gift of prophesy that builds up others, and that is what he seems to be focusing on as the main goal of the people of the church.

While he would like everyone to speak in tongues, so they would build up their relationship with God, he wants more to prophesy, to use their voices to interpret God's words.

Yesterday, at our annual convention, we heard that this is the main job we have as Christians, to go out and build up others through the Gospel, not just in being an example, but in our words as well as our actions.

We don't do that enough.  We tend to keep our faith to ourselves, like those who speak in tongues that no one understands.  As Seinfeld used to say, "Not that there is anything wrong with that..."

But sharing our faith with others and giving them a chance to share with us can be very rewarding.

We do that in Bible Study and in our Education for Ministry classes, but those tend to be safe places, places where we understand the rules and know we will not be ridiculed or laughed at.

What about other places, like the workplace or the supermarket?  Is it out of place to share the Gospel there?

I have found opportunities to start a conversation be listening and responding.  When someone tells me he is having a difficult time, I offer to pray for him.  What if I offer to pray with him instead?

Maybe that's the easiest way to open the door to becoming an everyday prophet, someone who shares God's love and grace with everyone, every day.

So, what do you think?  Will you let me pray for you?

Will you come and pray with me?

I think I will try that.  It's a start.

More to come...