An unhealthy culture makes for unhealthy people. People create cultures but, once created, a cultural mould tends to shape everyone into itself. We are shaped in community, which is why the church community is so important. As we create a culture of love, grace and honour for one another in our church communities we will grow into the people God wants us to be. The Corinthian church had created a culture of pride, competition and control. Each person was focused on their own importance and each person used his gifts not to serve others but to exalt himself. This situation expressed itself when they celebrated the Lord’s Supper together. Everyone served themselves and some went without while others gorged themselves and even got drunk. Jesus had instructed his followers to share bread and wine together as a sign of their unity as participants in the New Covenant. The chief blessing of the new covenant is the gift of the Holy Spirit who now indwells our hearts. God’s Spirit is a Spirit of commission, leading us and equipping us to serve each other and the world around us. The Corinthians, however, were using the gifts of the Spirit to create recognition for themselves and so they formed a culture of competition and pride. The Spirit of God is given to us to serve others in selfless love and humility, not to wear as a badge of importance. Let us take off our badges of self-importance and together create a culture of love. Who can you love and honour today?
Think about whom you can love and honour today. Start by praying for them now.
Read 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
