"different... but the same Spirit"
1 Corinthians 12:4
As a homeschooling family, we make a point of getting our kids involved in plenty of activities every year, so they won't end up as loner misfits, as uninformed homeschool critics seem to be afraid these kids are bound to do... At least as evidenced by the most commonly asked question about homeschooling: "what about socialization?!?!" So over the years, our two kids have been involved in choir, art, horseback-riding, baseball, volleyball, P.E., musical theater, science camp, Bible study, and gymnastics, not to mention a variety of field trips, and purely social get-togethers.
It's been fun to find out where there strengths and weaknesses are, although that doesn't always coincide with where their likes and dislikes are! My Amazing Boy, for instance, has a wonderful voice, and loves to sing. He keeps up a fairly constant medley around the house, but he does not enjoy choir practice. Too much standing still, not enough gamboling-like-an-11-year-old, I think. {No, not "gambling" ~ "gamboling". It's a fun word!}
But one of the beautiful things I've discovered about Awesome Girl is that she's a natural at harmonizing. Sadly, she doesn't get that from me. Though I love to sing, and have been in choirs all my life, I can only sing harmony if someone teaches me the notes. My sisters, on the other hand, can hear a melody, and instinctively start singing harmony. And my daughter can do that, too. I can hear her, in the back seat, or even in her room, singing harmony with some song I thought I knew. Why is it that something beautiful is even more beautiful when it involves your child? :)
Harmony is a beautiful thing. A song can sound fine and lovely until you hear it with harmony, and then you know how good it can be. Harmony brings depth... completion. What do you call it when you improve on something you thought was fine the way it was? Perfection.
Living as a Christian is about harmony. 1 Corinthians 12 has some great things to say about our harmony. And I don't mean harmony like "getting along with each other," I mean like in a song. Adding something beautiful to something that was already beautiful. Verse 7 says "to each one, the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." Remember that emphasis. Verse 8: "To one there is given a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge... to another faith... to another gifts of healing... to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy... All these are the work of one and the same Spirit." No gift more special than any other, and all of them from the same Giver. And why? For the common good. Doesn't that sound beautiful?
~ "In all of them and in everyone
it is the same God at work." ~
1 Corinthians 12:6
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