The Gift of Service: Leading Through Grace

Dear Reader, 

This morning I was reflecting on a simple verse that bridges both my worlds of recovery and faith: 

“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 

— 1 Peter 4:10 

In these few words, Peter gives us the secret to what it means to serve and to lead: we are stewards of grace. Everything we have — our sobriety, our faith, our strength to keep showing up — is a gift we were never meant to keep to ourselves. 

AA and the Grace of Service 

In Alcoholics Anonymous, we learn early that “our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.” This truth keeps us humble and reminds us that real authority comes not from position, but from love and willingness. 

I saw that grace in action today. I spent the afternoon working with a fellow member of our AA Service Center Operating Committee. As we discussed the daily functions of the office, I realized again that no one person does it all. The Service Center runs on the steady, combined effort of many — each contributing in different ways toward one purpose: to support the fellowship and keep the doors open for the next suffering alcoholic. 

None of us are experts, yet together we form a whole — a network of willing hearts guided by grace. It is, quite literally, the gift of grace expressed through service. 

 

The Multiplying Miracle of Shared Gifts 

AA’s Twelfth Step calls it “carrying the message,” but it’s more than just words. It’s the living proof that shared hope still works — and that when we share it, it multiplies. 

Paul wrote, “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us…” (Romans 12:6). And in modern scripture we read, “There are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God, that all may be profited thereby.” (Doctrine & Covenants 46:11–12). 

When we recognize and use our individual gifts together, we accomplish more than any one person could alone. Grace, when shared, becomes strength. 

So I ask myself daily: 

• Am I being a good steward of what God has given me? 
• Do I use my recovery to lift those around me? 
• Do I use my time to help, or to hide? 

The Lord gives us gifts not to hold, but to pass along — just as He gives grace not to possess, but to pour out. 

 Whether in a church meeting or an AA gathering, the principle is the same: to serve is to lead, and to lead is to love. 

The best leaders I’ve known — both in recovery and in the gospel — are those who quietly show up when it matters most. They listen, they pray, and they give their hearts freely. They live as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 

And that, I believe, is what Christ meant when He said, “Follow me.” 

Amen.