Go Light Your World subscriber Emily, asked a great question about how someone might be offended by the use of spiritual Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The first believers were given spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit for the edification of each other and the church. (See below scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11.) There is disagreement amongst some churches and believers whether all the gifts of the Holy Spirit remain in force today, or whether some have passed away, notably the ‘sign’ or miracle gifts of healing, performing other miracles, prophesying, and speaking in tongues and interpreting tongues. Not unlike the polar differences which sometimes separate people of various political views, there are some in one camp who may question the integrity of those in the other camp due to these differences of beliefs. And from such an attitude may come the offense that Emily read about in a camp policy.

Ironically, the gifts were meant to be used to build each other up not tear each other down. And in the chapters that follow, LOVE is held as superior to these ‘lesser’ gifts. (see 1 Corinthians 13-14) Paul says that to have all these other gifts without love is to have nothing at all.

I believe in the bigness of a God who is quite able and willing to express His love for mankind by whatever means and through whatever people He chooses. An excerpt from John Piper’s discussion of the matter makes sense to me: “The greatest miracle is that our hearts begin to care more about the lostness and pain of others than about our own personal comforts and leisure plans. When that miracle happens, we might be in a position to experience the lesser gifts of healings…Set your hearts to desire love.” For a more in depth look into the subject see Piper’s article at:
http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/gifts-of-healings-and-workings-of-miracles

1 Corinthians 12:4-11
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.