SAY NO TO CHURCH RIVALRY
Play Audio
If you prefer listening to today’s Bible guide reading, play this audio file.
If the audio bar is not appearing, click here to play the audio.
Opening Prayer
Whatever your plan is for me today, Lord, encourage me through your Word to seek you and your will, to depend on you and trust you to fulfill your purposes.
Read 1 CORINTHIANS 12:21–31a
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[a]? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 12:30 Or other languages
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Where do you see your weaknesses being used as gifts in your church, where God uses your weakness as strength?A local church can be prone to ‘division’ (v. 25), with some mem- bers at odds with others. A sense of self-importance or superiority (vv. 21, 22) can creep in, and rivalries or rifts soon emerge.
The answer is that we are each a different part of the body of Christ, and care for each other (vv. 25–27). In the human body, each part depends on the others. The eye looks out for the hand, and the hand washes the foot. Obscure organs, the thyroid, for instance, are also vital for the whole, and we show great respect for them also. So, too, in the body of Christ, all the members value and respect all the others, whatever role or gift God has allocated to each.
We do not choose who has which gifts. God distributes his gifts as he sees best (vv. 4, 11, 18, 24, 28). His provision ranges (v. 28) from the apostles’ foundational witness through to those who administer and help the church’s life, and from those who guide the church to the deeply personal, inarticulate praise/ prayer of ‘speaking in tongues.’ Paul might surely have listed many more gifts the Spirit gives the church through the people (e.g., music).
Our calling is to seek the best (v. 31) and work humbly together, each playing our part.
Apply
Don’t leave it to church leaders to thank and value those whose gifts are less prominent. We can all express appreciation to those whose part may go unnoticed.
Closing prayer
Help me, Lord Jesus, to love and value every part of your body, the church, as you do.
Book and Author Intros
Extras
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2025 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Discovery is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.