One body, many parts

1 Corinthians 12:12-29

"The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body" (vs 12).

Wow, envision the body of Christ, all believers, as one body - like your body is one and mine is one. Our physical bodies have many parts - eyes, ears, elbows, feet, etc. So what if you had a really painful earache? How would that effect the rest of your body? You would feel really lousy, wouldn't you? You would find it hard to really be active because you hurt so much!

The Apostle Paul analogizes the body of Christ, the church, as being just like our physical bodies. When one part of the body is suffering, it effects every other part...when one person is suffering, it (should) effect us all. Our physical bodies are not divided, we don't think, "well, I don't really need this hand, I'll just lobe it off!" Yet, when we judge, talk against, gossip other believers or whole local gatherings/churches of believers - it is like hurting or dismembering a part of our own physical bodies! WOW.

Also, Paul points out that each member of believers has been given at least one spiritual gift - a gift, something given by the Holy Spirit to be used in building up and helping the whole body of believers grow/heal/be fed/etc. He lists some of those gifts in 27-31; this is not an exhaustive list. Other Scripture speaks to additional gifts God gives, in Roman 12:6-8 and Ephesians 4:11-13 for example. Paul states that just like individual members of the body of Christ, each gift is needed - no one gift is "better or more important" than another gift. That goes against our worldly thinking, doesn't it?

If we are honest, each one of us has thought, "oh, I'm glad I have this ____ instead of ____; or, I wish I could _____like him/her." When we do that we discount how God has made others and ourselves. We actually discount God. Each one of us are needed, valued, and necessary. In fact, Paul points out that unlike the world that thinks those who are weak/dishonorable can be put away or forgotten, the body of Christ is to actually honor those who are weak!! .....And all of us have weakness - the Scripture says, in fact, that we 'can boast in our weakness, for God's power is perfected in our weakness, then when we are weak, we are strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9,10)!!!

"Lord, forgive us for putting others down, ourselves up as well as ourselves down and others up. Forgive us Lord for shunning those members and gifts that we think are less honorable or weak or less important. God, heal our minds in such ways that we think the way You do, that we honor others as well as ourselves in the body of Christ. That we know, realize, and accept/receive that each one of us are 'fearfully and wonderfully made; that each one is valuable and precious" (Psalm 139). Oh God, give us Your eyes to see, Your heart to know, and Your Spirit to live. Thanks for loving us God. We love You. More Lord, more."