The "Gift of Helps"

I recently read a post on Stuff Christians Like, a hilariously witty and sarcastic blog (I highly advise you to check it out if you have not already), entitled "#647: Not Having the Spiritual Gift of Helps."  You should really go and read it first, so you understand what I'm talking about (it's very short), but if you're too lazy, I'll try my best to sum it up here.  Basically this fairly well-known Christian author was speaking on Spiritual Gifts, and how each believer is given certain gifts.  Ok, so far so good.  Well, he then went on to say, for example, you would never see me sweeping the floor of the church, because I just don't have the "gift of helps."

(So are you totally clicking on the link now so that you can find out who it was that said this? I thought so!  But the article doesn't say...sorry!)

Well, I, as well as the author, as well as many readers, was pretty appalled that someone would actually claim that they cannot help out because "gosh darn it, I just don't have the gift of helps! Shucks."  I mean, really?  If that's the case, then I guess I don't have it either, because I sure hate staying late after church functions to clean up, put tables and chairs away, sweep the floors, and take out the trash.  Guess from now on I'll just have to sit out, and let all those who are blessed with the "gift of helps" do the dirty work.  Oh well, what's a girl to do?

One of the authors arguments to this person was that this was not a spiritual gift listed in scripture, but rather an excuse for a man who hates to clean to be lazy.  There were all kinds of comments to this post (mostly similar to my reaction above, you can read them here), but one that really caught my eye was someone who posted a verse in 1 Corinthians that lists "helps" as a gift (1 Cor. 12:28).  Well, I decided to do a little more research on this verse and look at it in context, and figure out what is actually meant by "helps," because surely God does not excuse some of us from helping meet the needs (particularly behind-the-scenes needs, like cleaning up) around the church.  And surely it does not mean that some of us don't need to help others because we aren't as good of helpers, you know, being without the "gift of helps," and all.  We are all expected to do our part, right?  And I'm pretty sure that while we may not like it, we are all perfectly capable of wiping down tables or stacking chairs.

Well, what I found is that this is not even close to what is actually meant by the "gift of helps."  It is actually referring to people who are gifted to serve as assistants to ministers.  People who can step up and take some of the burdens off of pastors so that they may better attend to the spiritual needs of the congregation.  For example, deacons are to be servants who meet the temporal needs of the body such as helping the poor, hospital visitation (basically, help meet whatever physical needs that arise) so that pastors may spend more time focused on providing spiritual guidance.  We see an example in the Old Testament in the book of Numbers when God is speaking to Moses (Num. 11:16-17).  God wanted other strong and spiritual men to help relieve Moses of some of the burdens of caring for the people, so that he did not have to do it alone.  A New Testament example would be those who served as assistants to the apostles, such as Mark, Timothy or Titus.  Whatever the capacity, this is an allusion to the relationship between the high priests and the Levites, who were "helps" or assistants to the high priests in their various duties.    

So you see, this "gift of helps" is not at all what the NIV so incorrectly translates as "those able to help others."  Everyone who is in the body of Christ is expected to help others, in whatever capacity God enables them!  No one is to be an individual, on their own, doing their own thing.  We should be dependent on one another!  I believe you can see and understand this better if you read this verse in the entire context of chapter 12, and understand that God expects us all to do our part.  Equally important parts.  No one is exempt, and certainly should not be using a lack of the "gift of helps" as a cop out.      

Well, this cleared up some of the confusion for me, so I hope it did for you as well.  Now if you ever hear someone trying to use this same excuse, you will be ready to explain (in a humble, Christian way, of course) what the biblical definition of "gift of helps" is, and kindly reassure them that there is no reason that they are unable to help out, just like everyone else.