Messages of Snow
4. Variety
Forgive, O Lord, our severing ways,
the rival altars that we raise,
The wrangling tongues that mar Thy praise.
Thy grace impart; in time to be
Shall one great temple rise to Thee -
One Church for all humanity.
John Greenleaf Whittier, 1863
Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.”
We are told by scientists that no two snowflakes are exactly identical. When we consider how many billions of different flakes fall during a snowstorm, this is an amazing fact.
God likes variety. Each of us is different, too. No two human beings have exactly the same genetic pattern with one exception, identical twins. In spite of this fact, we spend much of our time and energy on efforts to be the same, to conform, rather than celebrating our uniqueness.
God creates variety for a reason. Each of us has a special contribution to make to the life of the world. Just as each snowflake adds to the covering of the earth, each of us has a special place to fill. Our unique personality and abilities are needed for the service of God.
If God creates variety for a purpose, then no one of us is more important than another. The first snowflakes provide a covering for the earth, but each one contributes its own special beauty to the winter scene.
As Christians, we need to share our beauty and uniqueness with the rest of the Body of Christ. Each of us is part of God's gift of variety.