by Victoria Heinecke

Bloom where you are planted.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”
1 Corinthians 12:7 New International Version (NIV)

One’s first impression of Abilene, Kansas, might be that of a town that time forgot. Although an interstate highway touches the edge of town, the sleepy downtown appears unchanged over the past 100 years, except for a small park with a statue of a teenaged youth..

He was one of seven sons in his family and was raised in a modest frame home. The family work ethic influenced the sons, and all but one – a boy who died in infancy – led successful lives. This son, Dwight Eisenhower, grew up to become the supreme allied commander in Europe during World War II, followed by serving as President of the United States.

While Dwight lived a life that changed the path of world history, there was a strong force behind him, his mother Ida. Her life, on first glance, seemed unremarkable. She raised chickens, baked bread and cooked meals every day. She maintained a large vegetable garden and canned an enormous amount of food to get through the winter. She made clothes and was an accomplished quilter.

Dwight Eisenhower’s life is remarkable, but it might have turned out differently were it not for the mother who worked hard to raise him. Her talents were no less important in the course of human history than those of her son.

“…those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor.“
1 Corinthians 12:22b-23a NIV

God gives every one of us skills and talents. No gift is more valuable than another, for all of them serve a role in our communities, and ultimately, in building God’s kingdom on earth.

Every act of kindness and service we offer plants a seed that makes other acts spring forth. It can be profound to think of each of those seeds and where they might blossom. A meal served can provide comfort. A song sung can lift the downtrodden. A smile can brighten a person’s day. All of our acts serve to bring glory to God, who lovingly gives us our gifts.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado