On Christmas, we hope that our loved ones will use the gifts we give them. We don't expect to see the items hidden in the basement, tucked away in a shed, or tossed in the trash. We expect to see our gifts on a mantle, or used and worn with appreciation. When God gifted us the Holy Spirit inside of us, he also provided spiritual gifts, and guess what? We're called to use them! In this text, Paul urges us to "fan into flames" God's gifts to us. Like Paul in prison, we must keep our eyes on the Kingdom and shake off the hindrances of our day.
In Acts 4, we see the disciples' "holy reflex" in times of trial: they immediately fall to their knees and pray together in unity....
How do we handle conflict? We can get swept up in trying to protect our reputation, retreating, or we can step into our role...