Read: 1 Corinthians 12

I was saying to a friend, the other day, how 1 Corinthians 12 has been used too much to – metaphorically - hit people over the head; and why, consequently, it's far from a favourite chapter for me. The very next day, I was asked to write a 95 community blog on… 1 Corinthians 12. I could almost hear the angels chuckling at my plight!

So what’s my problem? Here’s what I don’t think this chapter is about:

• It’s not about ranking people by their ‘gifts’ or by taking questionnaires to see if you’re a prophet or a martyr (yes – I’ve done that, before now).
• It’s not about ‘speaking in different kinds of language’ (or any other item on Paul’s list) being proof of your standing before God.
• It’s not about trying to work out if you’re a nose or a heart or an epithelial cell – and the implications of that for your spiritual life.
• It’s not about undervaluing or dismissing people’s natural gifts or trained skills because they are not spiritual gifts (and, yes, I’ve experienced that, too).

It’s about something much simpler. Here’s what I do think this chapter is about:

• Each person matters.
• All people matter.
• Each person can play a part.
• Every person can play a part,

… and that includes children and young people who are – and who are not – part of faith communities.

Take Lula. Three years ago, aged seven, Lula was horrified to discover that thousands of people do not have access to clean drinking water. Since then, with determination, persistence and imagination; by writing, drawing, singing, talking and walking, she has raised more than £12,000 and transformed hundreds of lives. When I think about Lula, I use words like ‘inspirational’, ‘remarkable’ and ‘exceptional’.

So now I’m imagining: what if, as well as sharing the good news of Jesus with them, we could create or facilitate genuine opportunities for each child and young person to be inspirational and remarkable? What if ‘exceptional’ became the norm and each person was able to be the person God created them to be? What if mission were less about what adults do and more about enabling children and young people to play their authentic part in God’s work in the world?

What if each and every person could make a difference and be the difference?

[postscript]

Be inspired by Lula here http://gushgush.strikingly.com/