May 29, 2023
Melissa Valerio
1 Corinthians 12:21-26
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you,” or the head to the feet, “I don’t need you.” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are in fact indispensable, and the parts of the body that we think are less honorable are treated with special honor, and we make our less attractive parts more attractive. However, our attractive parts don’t need this. But God has put the body together and has given special honor to the parts that lack it, so that there might be no disharmony in the body, but that its parts should have the same concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is praised, every part rejoices with it.
When I was trying to teach my children about oneness in the body of Christ, I gave them a task to illustrate the concept. I asked them to stack Cheerios through a dry, hard spaghetti noodle. The trick was, Victor couldn’t use his hands, Holly couldn’t use her eyes (blindfolded), and Ryan couldn’t use his ears (I didn’t tell Ryan the instructions and Holly and Victor needed to relay the instructions to Ryan without talking). I told them they each needed to do equal work in stacking the Cheerios all the way up so as not to have one do more than the other, but to share equally in the load. Very, very difficult for them, but very entertaining for me to watch. I explained that way back in the day when the apostle Paul was building up the early churches, he talked about all the different ways people were ministering in the Spirit and how those differences were actually a good thing. He encouraged them to see those differences as part of God’s unique plan to teach us how to work alongside of those who were weaker and those who were stronger. Learning to work with those people who had gifts they didn’t have, knowing that each member had a vital role in the building of the church; and not one person operating individually could ever reach their full potential as they would if they worked together within the body. It was easy for them to look at another believer and think “You’re not that great of an encourager, you must not have the Spirit of God in you.” But Paul is saying that’s not necessarily true. If they are truly a believer in Christ, perhaps their gift isn’t so much encouraging, but of giving. If not in giving, then maybe in teaching. We don’t all have the same gifts. So, disregarding someone else as an unauthentic Christian based on the fact that they’re weak in an area that you’re strong in is harmful to the entire body. We can’t just do away with them, they’re part of the same body we are! He’s encouraging us to look for their strength, instead of their weakness, and praise God for it. That’s the way God made them. To be used in a different capacity than you and me. Victor needed Holly’s hands, Holly needed Ryan’s eyes, and Ryan needed Victor’s ears. They all needed each other to accomplish the goal. And we all need each other to build God’s Kingdom.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we all believe in the one true God, You! Teach us to love our brothers and sisters unconditionally and to learn from them. Help us to view other believers as partners in this life, knowing that we can accomplish so much more together than we ever could alone. In Your holy name, Amen.
Action: Think of another believer who is made differently than you. Think of one of their strengths and thank God for giving them that gift. Then reach out to them by email, call, text, or card and let them know you appreciate the gift God has given them and are thankful He put them in your life.