Romans 12:6-8 : And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; or ministry, let us give ourselves to our ministry; or he that teacheth, to his teaching; or he that exhorteth, to his exhortation; he that giveth, let him do it with liberality; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. The human body is a unit, though it has many members; and each member has an office, or function. So it is in the church, the body of Christ. People have certain natural gifts, but no natural gift will enable a man to prophesy. A prophet was one who spoke for God; that is, God spoke through him to the people. Foretelling future events was not his main work; God delivered through him whatever teaching the people needed. He was an inspired teacher. Certain other activities in the early church required special endowments; these special endowments were called spiritual gifts. These are mentioned more specifically in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:28-30. It seems that teachers did not reveal, but taught what had been revealed. As the New Testament had not been completed, these teachers would need a degree of inspiration to enable them to remember what they had been taught and to guard them against error. But ministry is service, and it seems that service could be rendered without inspiration and so with exhorting and giving. The ruler needed diligence, but too many give very little time or attention to the responsibility placed upon them. And no one should attempt to show mercy in a half-hearted or indifferent way. Showing mercy in a helpful way is a fine art.