5-Day Devotional — Moving to Maturity (Part 4): Function
Week of Monday, February 23, 2026 – Friday, February 27, 2026
Theme: Built up… then sent out.
Big Idea: Maturity produces love that works—service, mission, and building others up with Christ’s energy.
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Day 1 — Monday, February 23, 2026
Built For Function, Not Just Feelings

Scripture (ESV excerpts):
Ephesians 4:16 — “…when each part is working properly, [it] makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”
James 1:22 — “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only…”

Reflection
One of the quiet dangers of spiritual growth is that it can become purely internal—something we feel or know rather than something we become. It’s possible to be moved by a message, stirred in worship, even convicted by Scripture… and still remain unchanged in the places that matter most: our habits, our relationships, our readiness to love in practical ways. That’s why the New Testament picture of maturity isn’t mainly a person who has collected more information—it’s a person who has become a healthier part of the body. Paul doesn’t describe the church as a crowd that watches; he describes it as a living organism that grows “when each part is working properly.” That means maturity has direction. It moves outward. It turns into shared strength. It becomes love with weight to it—love that carries, builds, and serves. And notice: Paul doesn’t say the body grows when each part becomes impressive. He says it grows when each part becomes functional. In other words, the goal isn’t spiritual flash—it’s spiritual health. Not “look at me,” but “how can I help?” Not “I attended,” but “I contributed.” Not “I’m inspired,” but “I’m available.” That’s especially fitting for a tables rhythm of church. A living room, a coffee table, a booth at a restaurant—these places reveal what’s real. Because in ordinary spaces, maturity shows up in ordinary ways: making room for someone, listening without rushing, telling the truth without crushing, praying with a friend, carrying a burden, showing up again next time. The most visible proof of growth often isn’t a platform; it’s a life that quietly strengthens others.  So today, ask a simple, honest question: If maturity is real in me, where is it becoming useful? Not to earn love from God—you already have it in Christ—but because love, when it’s truly received, doesn’t stay contained. Grace doesn’t just comfort you; it commissions you.

Prayer
Jesus, thank You for loving me before I ever did anything for You. Keep me from a faith that stays in my head or my feelings. Form me into someone who builds others up in love. Show me where I can function as part of Your body with humility and joy. Amen.

Action Step
Write down one sentence: “My share right now could look like ______.” Keep it small, specific, and realistic.
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Day 2 — Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Every Part Matters

Scripture (ESV excerpts):
1 Corinthians 12:18, 22 — “God arranged the members… as he chose… The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.”
Ephesians 4:16 — “…joined and held together… when each part is working properly…”

Reflection
Many people don’t struggle with willingness as much as they struggle with belief. They don’t believe they matter. They assume the “real” work of the church is done by a few people who are more confident, more gifted, more trained, or more visible. So they stay quiet. They stay on the edges. They tell themselves, Someone else will do it. But Scripture is stubbornly clear: in Christ, you are not an extra part. Paul says God arranged the body intentionally—meaning your place is not accidental. And then he takes it even further: some of the parts that seem less visible—or even “weaker”—are actually indispensable. A body can survive without a lot of things it celebrates… but it cannot survive without the things it depends on. That means the enemy doesn’t only tempt churches with obvious sins—he also tempts believers with quiet lies:
“You don’t have much to offer.”
“Your part won’t matter.”
“Your season disqualifies you.”
“Your story makes you too complicated.”
“Your gift isn’t as valuable as theirs.”
But a body with sidelined parts doesn’t become healthier; it becomes weaker. Not because God is limited—He isn’t—but because the body is designed to grow through shared contribution. When people withhold their yes, the body loses strength, and love becomes less tangible in the community. Maturity isn’t everyone doing the same thing. It’s everyone doing their thing faithfully. Function isn’t about comparison; it’s about contribution. It’s not about spotlight; it’s about love becoming practical through real people. So today, let the Spirit challenge two extremes: If you feel insignificant: God says you’re necessary. If you feel superior: God says you’re connected. Either way, the invitation is the same: step into the body with humility and faith.

Prayer
Father, thank You that You have placed me in Your body with purpose. Heal any lie in me that says I don’t matter, and remove any pride in me that forgets I need others. Teach me to be faithful in my share, with love. Amen.

Action Step
Send one text (or speak one sentence) of encouragement to someone in your church community: name what you see God doing in them.
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Day 3 — Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Gifts Are Grace For Someone Else

Scripture (ESV excerpts):
1 Peter 4:10–11 — “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another… as good stewards of God’s varied grace…”
Romans 12:6 — “Having gifts… let us use them…”

Reflection
Peter calls your gift “grace.” That’s not just poetic—it’s theological. It means your gifts are not simply natural talents, personal strengths, or spiritual “abilities.” They are expressions of God’s kindness moving into human life. God puts grace in your hands so grace can reach someone else. And that reframes everything. Because if your gift is grace, then using your gift is not self-promotion—it’s stewardship. You’re not showing off; you’re giving out. You’re not building your name; you’re building people. Peter says we are stewards of God’s varied grace—which implies grace is varied on purpose. God doesn’t give the same shape of grace to every person because the body has real needs. Some people need comfort. Some need clarity. Some need a safe place. Some need mercy. Some need leadership. Some need provision. Some need prayer. And God loves to meet those needs through His people. This is where “function” becomes beautifully practical and deeply spiritual at the same time. It might look like:
hospitality that makes people feel seen
mercy that moves toward what hurts
generosity that meets real needs quietly
prayer that carries what others can’t carry alone
service that holds the structure of community together
teaching that makes Scripture livable
encouragement that keeps someone from quitting
Sometimes the most mature thing you can do is stop waiting for a “big” opportunity and start with the person in front of you. The kingdom often spreads through simple faithfulness, not dramatic moments. God’s grace travels table to table life to life—conversation to conversation. So ask yourself today: What grace has God entrusted to me that someone near me needs? Your gift might feel ordinary to you, but grace often does.

Prayer
Holy Spirit, thank You for the gifts You’ve placed in my life. Forgive me for hiding them out of fear or withholding them out of comfort. Teach me to steward Your grace well—to serve others in a way that makes Jesus clearer. Amen.

Action Step
Choose one gift you believe God has given you, and use it intentionally today—for one person.
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Day 4 — Thursday, February 26, 2026
Labor With His Energy

Scripture (ESV excerpts):
Colossians 1:29 — “I toil… with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.”
John 15:5 — “…whoever abides in me… bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

Reflection
Serving has a way of touching our nerves. For some, it triggers pressure: “If I don’t do it, nothing will happen.” For others, it triggers exhaustion: “I’ve done too much, and I’m empty.” Both reactions usually have the same root: we’ve started acting like we’re the source. Paul gives us a third way: toil with His energy. Not self-powered striving… and not passive withdrawal… but dependence. This is what maturity looks like under real-life strain: you keep loving, you keep showing up, you keep serving—but you stop pretending you can do it without Jesus. You learn to receive without guilt. You learn to rest without apology. You learn to ask for help. You learn to abide so your output has roots. John 15 makes it plain: fruit comes from connection, not ambition. If you’re abiding, you’ll bear fruit. If you’re disconnected, you’ll either burn out trying to produce… or shut down because you can’t. A mature church is not built by frantic people. It’s built by rooted people—people who know how to receive from Jesus and then give from overflow. That doesn’t mean serving is easy. It means serving isn’t self-supplied. So today, don’t only ask: “What should I do?” Also ask: “What is fueling me?” Because the same act—helping, leading, serving, giving—can either be worship or striving depending on the source.

Prayer
Jesus, I confess that I often try to serve in my own strength. I either strive to prove myself or withdraw to protect myself. Teach me to abide in You. Give me Your energy—quiet strength, steady love, and humble dependence—so my service becomes worship. Amen.

Action Step
Before you do anything “for others” today, take 2 minutes and pray:
“Jesus, supply what I lack. Love through me.”
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Day 5 — Friday, February 27, 2026
The Table Shapes The Mission

Scripture (ESV excerpts):
Luke 22:19–20 — “…This is my body, which is given for you… This cup… is the new covenant in my blood…”
Mark 10:45 — “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve…”

Reflection
Communion is not only a remembrance—it’s a pattern. At the Table, we see the shape of Jesus: He gives Himself. And when we receive Him, we aren’t only forgiven—we are formed. That’s why communion isn’t just a private moment between “me and God.” It’s a shared confession: we are saved by grace, we belong to Christ, and we belong to one another. One bread. One cup. A family meal that tells the truth about our identity. And this is where the whole series comes together:
Aim (Part 1): maturity is becoming like Jesus → and Jesus is self-giving love.
Formation (Part 2): growth comes from abiding → and the Table is a returning, receiving posture.
Community (Part 3): maturity is a body project → communion is a family meal that unites us.
Function (Part 4): maturity is for mission and service → the Table sends us back into the world with the mind of Christ.

Mark 10:45 reminds us: Jesus didn’t come to be served—He came to serve. And He didn’t just serve with time and attention; He served with His life. So when we come to the Table, we remember: our function starts here. We receive the servant King, and then we’re shaped into servants who love. So today, come with empty hands. Receive again. And let what you receive become what you give. Because the gospel doesn’t produce spectators. It produces a people: built up… then sent out.

Prayer
Jesus, thank You for Your body given and Your blood poured out. Thank You that You served me first. Form me into Your likeness—humble, faithful, and loving. Make me a person who strengthens the body and blesses my neighbors. Send me out with Your love and Your energy. Amen.

Action Step
Make a simple plan for the weekend:
One person to encourage, one act of service to do, and one moment to rest and receive from Jesus.