One Body, Many Parts

I like to write about how amazing our bodies are - the part God made, not what we have done to them! Psalm 39: 14, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” It amazes me how our bodies are made. No part is independent, all of our parts must work together so our body can work well as a whole. Paul describes the church as Christ’s body. Followers of Jesus are interrelated with other persons in the body of Christ. Even though each person is unique, members must work together in unity to help enlarge God’s Kingdom.

We recently had a member join who said her husband was dying and her neighbor, who is an active member at my church, asked one of our pastors to pray with her husband. He did and this lady was so touched. Not only did he pray with them but he continued to visit and she asked him to officiate her husbands funeral. She said prior to this her neighbor had told her that we have a medical equipment room and she could borrow some of the items her husband needed. She was so appreciative that every time we had a church yard sale she donated things. She said she knew she was going to join this church! She said that she and her husband had been brought up Catholic and they were "good Catholics”. But through the years they inched away from the church but not from God.

So it was not one person or one thing that called someone to church. I would say this is a good example of the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12: 27, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” This lady could see Jesus in our equipment ministry, her neighbor, her neighbor’s church, the pastor, the yard sales, etc. Paul states that just as the eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” neither can anyone in the body of Christ say that to a fellow church member.

God has equipped each member with gifts and talents for the building up of the body of Christ. James 1: 17, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” I believe God used all of these ministries, the pastor, and the neighbor to enrich His Kingdom. Look what God can do when we do our part!

I will leave you with Romans 12: 4-8, “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

What part of the body of Christ are you?