Charisma

In today’s world the word charisma is used in many different contexts. There are many who view it as personal appeal or magnetism. Is charisma about style, power or money? Are people viewed as being charismatic because of the car they drive, the clothes they wear, or the circle of friends they move in? Beauty seen only externally could have repercussions on our own sense of self-worth. We may be led to have a false image of ourselves or to believe we have certain limitations which make it impossible to live spiritually. 

 St. Paul does not view charisma as being the self confidence that exudes from us because we are a trendsetter or the best in our field. The charisma St. Paul refers to is the spiritual gifts God gives us, which He uses for the building of the church (Romans 12: 1-10). These gifts will be evident in a person’s life, work and virtues. It is through these gifts that we as fellow believers come to know and experience at some point a spiritual dimension of Christ. The song We are one in the spirit, We are one in the Lord comes to mind as I think of the spiritual gifts that the Holy Spirit helps us develop. The chorus says They will know we are Christians by our love. It is by the love for our Lord Jesus Christ that we are all bound together as one. Our God-given spiritual gifts enable us to care for one another and unite us in the one Body. How do we bring out the latent gifts and talents God has given us for the growth of those around us and ourselves? St. Paul identifies the gifts that all of us can easily work on building up within us as:    

Loving - Jesus highlighted His ministry with the commandment for his disciples to love God and their neighbors. Charles Wesley wrote the hymn “Amazing love! How can it be, That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?” It is when we realize the full extent of what Christ did for us that we will be able to effectively express our love for God and our neighbors. In 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 St. Paul says that all our gifts maybe done away with but the greatest gift we have, love, will stay with us forever. 

Forgiving - It is critical for Christians to forgive those who have hurt them in some way. It is very difficult to build a relationship within the Body of Christ if we carry these burdens of resentment and grief with us. They always come back to haunt us. We need to show mercy just as God has shown mercy to us. St. Paul is calling us to cheerfully show mercy and forgive. 

Encouraging - A Christian should encourage fellow believers to follow in the way that God has set before them. Encouragement is the ability to get the children of God moving despite their setbacks to do the will of God. Barnabas was one who had this exceptional gift and was credited with having mentored and encouraged St. Paul in the initial stages of his new life in Christ. 

Giving – I am reminded of the drummer boy who had nothing to offer the baby Jesus but his heart and drumbeat, and the most famous parable of Christ where the widow’s mite was considered as being generous. St. Paul says that we should give with simplicity and not make a big show of what we have done. When we keep account of how much we are giving we become more focused on that, leading to pride in our giving. It is not important how much we give in the world’s eyes. What is important is how much we sacrifice in God’s eyes. 

Serving – This is a gift where we serve those who are in need because we feel the Holy Spirit within us prompting us to reach out to them. When James and John asked Jesus if they could sit on the thrones next to Jesus, the disciples were clearly distressed with that request. Jesus clearly indicated that leadership must start with servanthood on earth. Jesus said that He gave his life on earth to serve and not to be served (Mathew 20:20-28). The gift to serve is exemplified in the lives of Mother Teresa who cared for the dying, and President Carter who builds for the homeless. They dedicated their lives to serve specific groups of people who are in need. 

 It is when people see these gifts manifested in us that they will see the need to become fellow believers. They will clearly see that we live lives not for own glory but to bring glory to Christ Jesus by following the way he has set before us. As we grow spiritually do we find ourselves being blessed with multiple gifts? Do we see new ways that enable us to build the body and help to groom others who have similar gifts? It is through the process of developing our spiritual gifts that we become more conscious of the needs of those around us. When we realize the need for each other, and that we belong to one another, that we come to experience the unity in the Body of Christ.