Some people get their knickers in a twist about this thought: “God’s kids need to speak in tongues.” Jesus and I were talking about it recently and He said this: “It’s a GIFT not a merit badge! Gifts are given to be received. It is meant to be a blessing – it is not mandatory. You don’t have to receive My gifts, it is up to you.” Amen to that!
Let’s stop trying to panel-beat each other into the same shape, using His Name as a club. Here are two great scriptures to chew on:“All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left.“ Matthew 25:32-33. What part of those few verses indicate that we have any responsibility at all, when it comes to JESUS’ OWN SHEEP?! They are His sheep, not ours. He will do the sorting at a time already appointed by His Father. Some days we would not know a sheep or a goat from a hole in the wall!
At the same time it is good to remember how well Jesus Christ knows everyone’s hearts. Luke 18:9-14: “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
When I read passages like this, I am greatly convicted and convinced about what is my business, and what is not. I can see immediately that I do not always have the right heart to race about alienating other people with what I believe. We need the Lord Himself, in the Person of the Holy Spirit, to minister His wisdom to us, and through us, to others. We need His ‘kiss’ on things, otherwise we can deeply wound the people Jesus died for. There are sincere people, loving people, who have chosen to serve the Lord and others. Maybe they have come and gone and they didn’t embrace the gift of tongues. So what!?
Are we really so arrogant in our beliefs that we think that our way is the only way? And we snootily go on to label it as HIS WAY? There are many people who could teach us about long-suffering, patience, humility, and servanthood — these are things sadly lacking in many circles of thought. Hey, let’s be happy and clap and enjoy being with the Lord and each other! But let’s also understand that deep reverence has not been made obsolete, because the Lord opened our eyes to one particular aspect of HIS truth! After all He gave it to us, we didn’t earn it! Speaking in tongues is a tool, not an end result.
True reconciliation starts with recognition of the other person. I don’t care what your particular denomination believes … or doesn’t … If you love Jesus, and serve Him, and you are trusting in what He did for you at Calvary – you are my family. It’s lovely to meet you!! I cannot be convinced that speaking in tongues was given by God to divide us. Paul jumps all over that idea in 1 Corinthians 14. But my own aim, my mandate, is to build up the Body of Christ, not chop it into unwieldy bits that have so much doctrine in them, we can all drown in it!
Tongues are a sign and a wonder. Other people hear it and wonder what it is all about. GREAT! Anything that helps others to want to know and experience His love firsthand is a blessing from heaven. Personally, I find tongues are hugely helpful when I don’t know how to pray… which is most of the time! I start that way and then sometimes I end up in repentance, and at other times I can see what I need to pray about more clearly and I do that. But for me it is not an issue whether you do what I do. You do you, and I will do me — and both of us will still be under construction while the Holy Spirit is working in both of our lives.
Gifts are given. They are a reflection of the grace that is in the Giver, not the receiver. Father God’s enormous Grace has given us gifts, so let’s not squabble about who got what, and ‘why didn’t I get one?’ Kids do that at Christmas. Prophets, pastors, teachers, servers, preachers are all gifts. The word of knowledge, and wisdom are gifts. Healing is a gift … I could go on. I’d rather have whatever the Lord wants to put under my Christmas tree, whether it seems ugly but interesting, or it is just plain beautiful. I’ll love it because He gave it to me at great personal cost, and that makes it beautiful.
We can’t afford to pretend that other God-honouring and loving Christians don’t belong to our particular version of a club! We need everybody. Let’s appreciate that the eye can’t make someone a cup of tea, but it can see when someone wants one! But a server can easily do that job. I vote for blessing Jesus in whoever, and wherever we find Him, instead of dividing His body up even further. “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Ephesians 4:2. Reconciliation starts with Spirit-filled recognition of ALL His kids. Bye. 👋
