If you are reading this, you have a body. Congratulations. As of today, mine has gotten me through 22 years of life, even though I haven't been terribly kind to it. God is gracious, however, and will even use my folly and sin to make something beautiful come out of my life. Sometimes I'm not sure why I'm alive, why I'm doing what I'm doing. I could be somewhere completely different by now. In 10 days, I'll be celebrating my third year clean from eating disorders. I had them for seven years - and for most people, the 7 year mark is where all the major health complications kick in. Again, God is good and has allowed me to live. I've made it this far for a reason.
So you have a body too. Chances are you do SOME things to keep your body working, right? You eat, you sleep, you go to the doctor every now and then, you drink water, etc. Everything that you do for your body may be good or bad - and you know when you've done something bad. Your body tells you right away. As soon as you've exercised too much (or not enough) your muscles will tell you. Your immune system is so wonderfully wired that as soon as you eat something that your body doesn't like, it will compensate to get rid of the allergen (and sometimes, that compensation is deathly). Your mental health is tied to your physical health is tied to your emotional health is tied to your spiritual health. When you get a fever, your body is trying to rid itself of viruses or things that are in your body that should not be in your body. If you eat fruits and vegetables, you edify your body. If one part of your body hurts, generally it has an effect on the rest of your body.
The same goes for both your church and The Church. I'm sure you've heard this millions of times, but let me say it again. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul likens The Church to a body -
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.We are part of a larger body, and that body is part of a larger Body. Paul encourages us to use our gifts for the edification of the body. Yup. Do it.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[d]? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
But we're so comfortable in our pews/chairs in church. We're so comfortable with making church be just one more thing to cross off our list of things to do for the week. We can sit back, listen to some good (or not so good) music, listen to someone speak about the Bible, and leave.
I want to challenge you - that's not at ALL what it means to be a part of the Church...or your church. In our bodies, there are NO parts that get to say, "Oh, well, since I'm along for the ride of life, I'll just sit back and let the other parts work for me." Cells are constantly multiplying and dying and things are moving. Even when we rest at night, things happen in our bodies that we have no control over. Blood still pumps. We still breathe. Hair still grows.
Being a part of the body of Christ means that you've been given a task in the form of a gift. Look at your life. How are you gifted? Are you musically talented? If so, why hesitate in joining praise teams or choir? Are you artistically gifted in that you can paint/draw/take photographs/etc? Have you asked your pastor how you can use that for the edification of the body? Are you a gifted writer? Have you considered writing liturgies or songs? Are you a teacher? Have you thought about Sunday school or starting a class in something about which you are passionate?
Where do your gifts lie?
How can you use them to grow your body?
Pastors - How is your church gifted? How can it edify the other parts of the Body in the area?
Post your replies. Please :)
-Lisa
This is a hard teaching. My pew is cosy.
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