The Signature Show and the Complementarity of Gifts

The aim of The Signature Show last weekend at that white space at Bianco was to investigate "the meeting of three unexpected yet complementary disciplines: fashion, floral expression, graphic art". Went to have a look because the friend I was with at the latest Zouk Flea & Easy raved about fleacircus (which was helming the "fashion" aspect of the show). The florist was Delicate Matters and the graphic artist was sidewalk 10.

A very interesting idea and a beautifully done-up space. But the lack of common vision failed them in the end.
Food for thought in putting into practice 1 Corinthians 12:

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit.

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand,"I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet,"I have no need of you." On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

And I will show you a still more excellent way...

It's easy to remember that members of the church are all parts of the same body, that we are all given/empowered with different gifts. No gift is superior or inferior to the others. All parts are needed for the body to function properly. Therefore, no one should look down on or covet the gifts of other parts of the body.

But we are sometimes so eager to placate the low-self-esteemed or bring down to earth the proud and arrogant that we emphasize the complementarity of the gifts but neglect the purpose of the gifts.

Complementarity is meaningless without a common goal. And this goal is nothing short of complete love and service others under God, and so building God's kingdom on earth.