As the final worship song ended, Bonnie took her seat at the table with several other women. Sarah, the worship leader, offered a prayer.

“Amen. Now, ladies, that ends the formal portion of our women’s luncheon fellowship, but you’re welcome to stay and chat as long as you like. In fact, if you’d like to make yourselves useful, we could use help with some office jobs.”

Bonnie’s forehead creased as she glanced around the table at the other women. No one made a move to exit. Sarah continued.

“We’re so happy to announce that Lindsey had her baby. Normally she does all the bulletins and the mailings for the week, but she’ll be out for a while. Many hands make light work, so if you’re willing to help, just raise your hand.”

All the ladies at Bonnie’s table raised their hands. Bonnie was in no rush to get home, and after the wonderful program they’d had this morning, the least she could do was help. They gathered a stack of bulletins to fold and envelopes to stuff.

Evie turned to Bonnie. “What a blessing.”

Bonnie nodded. “I can’t get over how talented the women are in this small church.”

“I know, right?” Nan added. “The worship songs were beautiful. I think Sarah wrote that last one. She’s so gifted.”

Bonnie folded a bulletin in half, ensuring she added the insert right-side up. “And Rachel, with her testimony. She’s such a dynamic speaker.”

Evie arranged a stack of pages in front of her. “I, for one, was blessed the most by Heather’s teaching. She makes the Bible come alive. I can never make the connections between the Old and New Testament teachings the way she does.”

Bonnie smiled, but inside, a bit of self-doubt creeped in. “Well, I can’t do what any of those ladies can do, but at least I can assemble bulletins.”

The other ladies laughed, but Bonnie hadn’t really meant it as a joke. As Sarah said, many hands make light work, so the paperwork was soon completed and Bonnie headed home. Max would be home tonight, so she wanted to make a nice dinner.

Michael was working in the driveway when she got home. “How was the lunch?”

Bonnie moved closer and brushed a kiss against his cheek. “It was nice.” He fiddled with a wrench under the hood of his old car. It seemed like a never-ending project. “I’ll leave you to it. Thanks for taking the girls to practice. Are they still at the Johnson’s?”

Michael straightened and wiped his hands on a rag. “Yeah. It’s probably almost time to pick them up.”

“I’ll do it. Then I need to put some laundry on and get dinner ready. Max is coming home tonight, and I’m sure he’ll be starving.”

Michael laughed. “When is that boy not starving?”

Bonnie moved toward the house. “True, but after ten days of camping, I’m sure he’s ready for some home-cooked food.”

Later that evening, after dinner, Max dumped a pile of patches on the dining room table. Jessie and Joanna studied the pile. “What’s all this?”

Max sorted through the patches, showing them to his little sisters. Bonnie stood in the doorway. It was nice to see her children interacting.

Max held up one particularly colorful patch. “I had to trade three patches for this one.”

Jessie’s brow furrowed. “How does that work, and what are they for?”

Max handed a different patch to Joanna. “I was at the Boy Scout National Jamboree. Scouts from all over the country came. We did lots of cool stuff, but one of the things we did was trade patches. Kids brought Boy Scout patches from their troop and traded them. I have patches from all over the country now. Look at these. I traded one old patch to get this whole set.”

Bonnie stepped back into the kitchen. Michael had given Max a handful of old patches from when he was a scout. Michael certainly didn’t care about his patches anymore. But some boy did.

As she washed the dinner dishes, her mind wandered back through her day, bringing back the feelings of self-doubt. She wasn’t a good speaker, a good singer, or good at studying the Bible. She wasn’t mechanically minded like Michael, and she wasn’t a math whiz like her son. Even Jessie and Joanna had enviable gifts.

The children’s voices carried into the kitchen. “Was it a lot of fun?”

“It really was. We got to do so many great things.” Max’s voice was full of excitement.

“Are you sad to be home?”

Bonnie strained to hear. Please say no. Max’s voice came loud and clear. “Of course not. It was great fun, but I’m glad to be back with all of you. Besides, Mom’s cooking is the best.”

Bonnie swelled with pride. Sure, she may not have all those other gifts, but she made this house a home. People were always complimenting her on her cooking whenever she took meals to friends with babies or who were sick. It didn’t seem like much to her, but maybe gifts were like those patches. We always think what other people have is better than what we have. Max cared about trading for the new and different patches. She wanted other people’s gifts instead of focusing on her own.

Max entered the kitchen. “Can I have another cookie, Mom?”

Bonnie smiled and handed Max the container. “Of course. Welcome home, son.”

 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.

God, You give us all different gifts. None of Your gifts are more important. All our gifts and talents can be used to serve You and serve others. Thank you for making us all unique. Please help us stop comparing ourselves to others and devaluing ourselves. You’ve designed us each to have a relationship with You and to use the gifts designed for us, not the gifts you’ve given other people. For that, we are grateful. Let us make the most of our talents to serve You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.