.....together

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ I Corinthians 12:12

A lawyer, trying to defend a man accused of burglary, came up with a rather creative argument:

“My client merely inserted his arm through the window and removed a few items. His arm is not himself, and I don’t see how the whole man can be punished for something his arm did.”The judge paused, then replied, “Well stated. Using your logic, I sentence the defendant’s arm to one year in prison. He may accompany it or not, as he chooses.”

Smiling, the defendant — who had an artificial limb — detached it, placed it on the bench, and walked out of the courtroom.

That’s not quite what Paul had in mind when he described the church as a body!

In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul uses the metaphor of the human body to teach an important spiritual truth: Christians are not isolated individuals doing their own thing — we are part of something greater. We are the body of Christ, and each one of us is a vital member.

No one gets to say, “I don’t belong” just because they can’t do what someone else can do. And no one should think they don’t need others. A body works only when all its parts are connected and functioning together. You can’t have a body made up of only eyes or ears or feet. Paul’s point is clear: we belong to each other. We rejoice together, we suffer together, and we grow together. Each person — regardless of their gifts, background, or role — is essential to the health of the body.

In a world that often celebrates independence and division, the church is called to something radically different – interdependence and unity. We’re not detachable. We’re all in this together.

So instead of competing with one another or comparing ourselves with one another, let’s commit ourselves to encouraging and supporting one another — because when one part thrives, the whole body benefits.

- alan smith

Father, thank you for placing me in the body of Christ. Help me to understand the role I play in your church and to value the roles that others play, so that we may grow together in love and unity. In Jesus’ name, amen.