The jigsaw
puzzle is pretty much an interesting bit. Several small pieces that cut into
various shapes that fit together to form ONE picture. Many shapes. One picture.
It’s amazing how these seemingly fragile shapes work together for the greater
good of making a single picture. On their own, they are only broken pieces with
no meaning and form, but together, they fit into a grand design.
“I want you to think about how all this makes you more
significant, not less. A body isn’t just a single part blown into something
huge. It’s all the different-but-similar parts arranged and functioning
together”. 1 Cor 12:14 MSG
The analogy that Paul uses poignantly emphasizes
interdependence and community in the body of Christ.
This segment of Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth
addresses two categories of people. First, those who were detached, and
secondly, those who wanted to be super-heroes-exercising absolute dominance in
all departments.
You might be wondering where you really belong
in the scheme of things. You excuse yourself of your seemingly un-giftedness,
and you stay out of the team. The author
of our daily Bread says, “Each of us has been uniquely gifted with the
capacity to make a contribution to the work of Christ”. This couldn’t be more
true. If you’ve been raised with Christ, then, this statement holds true for
you. You don’t have to feel it. It is who you’re. Your gifts and talents are
required for the healthy growth of the church.
Deciding to walk out because we feel less important or
because of our irresponsibility or our ignorance, doesn’t make us any less a
pivotal member of the body of Christ.
No matter how overly gifted you’re, your significance makes
sense within the context of what you’re a part of. For example, the hand is a
valuable asset to the body, but when severed, it becomes a dead, moribund ‘log’.
The supermen
and superwomen would want to dominate everything. They want to be the head, the
hand, the eyes, even the whole body. But think of it, nobody is everything.
They can either be the eyes or the neck, but not all. Self is overly given
credence as opposed to building the congregation in faith and grace. The result
is often devastating; an influx of absolutely mal-nourished individuals,
godless church without the slightest idea of who God is.
Why would God share
such amazing gifts to everyone and not to a single person? The answer is
simple: it effectively obliterates the emergence of supermen and superwomen.
Nobody knows it all. Nobody have it all. Inter-dependence is achieved. The body
remains a body. The parts love and cherish each other. Mutuality exists.
Efficiency thrives. This is God’s initiative of keeping the church’s machinery
operational, “preventing our significance from getting blown into
self-importance”.
The church is
what it is today because its members are really not involved. The concept of
working together for a singular cause is blurred by our ego centrism. So we walk
out on the church. As a result, the nourishment that should come from each part
and flowing to have a healthier body is eliminated. A church stunted and pale
You’re Christ’s body-that’s who you are! You must never
forget this. Only as you accept your part of that body does your “part” mean
anything. V27. (MSG)
Don’t dump the church, be involved!
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