Friday, 19 December 2014
And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 1 Corinthians 12:19
A point that must have been on Paul’s mind when he wrote out this verse is that no one member’s interests, gifts, or ministry can be allowed to take overall precedence within the church. If the heart were to claim that it was somehow equal to the sum total of all the other members because of its unique makeup, then there would be no need for a body. If there was no need for a body, then there would be no body because that which is superfluous is unneeded and would eventually be cast off (like the shedding of unnecessary skin).
If this were the case, the heart would find out very quickly how lonely being heart without a body would actually be. The things that makes us feel unique and indispensable are actually the those things around us which we rely on, and which rely on us, in a harmonious and mutually-benefiting way.
Life application: No matter how much you do for the church, and no matter how important you feel your position in the body is, you cannot survive in that capacity without others. If the pastor of a church did every single thing in the church and yet there was no one to sit in the pews, then he wouldn’t be a pastor of a church. Paul says in Romans 12:3 that we should not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. Let us ponder that as our life application for the day!
Lord, You have used me in certain ways to help others. You have allowed me to be ministered to as well. In both of these tasks, I feel unworthy of the honor. When I see someone’s path get straightened out by something I say, it reminds me of the wayward path I once walked. But You straightened it out. And when someone helps me out with a difficult issue of life, it reminds me how far I still need to go in my faith and in my growth. In both, I see just how great You are. Thank You for the interactions I have with others that show me this. Amen.