#DailyDevotion We Are Each Important Members of Christ
1Co 12:12-20 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. (13) For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. (14) For the body does not consist of one member but of many. (15) If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. (16) And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. (17) If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? (18) But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. (19) If all were a single member, where would the body be? (20) As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
God is one and his followers are also one for they are one in the body of Christ. Each Christian who has been baptized and has faith in Jesus is part of his mystical body. The Corinthians were doing their best to be divided. There were those who thought they were superior because of their gifts. Some of the wealthy one did not treat the poorer ones with the kindness and love of Christ. Some apparently from this text thought they didn’t need anyone else.
Paul says no to all of that. Your body has many members, feet, eyes, ears, arms, legs and the like. In similar fashion the body of Christ has leaders, workers, workers of mercy, the poor, the disables, the rich, pew sitters, Easter and Christmas members and the like. Each of these have the same Spirit. All have been baptized into Christ. One member is not more baptized into Christ and one is not baptized less. Jewish Christians aren’t any more Christ’s body than non-Jewish ones. American Christians are not more of Christ’ body than European, Oriental or African ones. Republican Christians are not more part of Christ’ body than Democrat, Libertarian or non-affiliated Christians.
We all drink of the same Spirit. What does it mean to drink of the Spirit? It means to listen, learn, meditate on, inwardly digest and all around let the free gift of salvation for Jesus’ sake be the basis, foundation, walls, roof, yard, fence in other words it should be the whole of our life. None of us can say, because of this, we don’t belong or someone else doesn’t belong (not counting those who have gone into apostasy or mortal sin [not that they can’t repent]). It is Jesus who has called us and them through the Spirit, i.e. the message of salvation.
If Christ has placed a person in his body that person is important to the body. Not everybody can be an eye, or nose, or neck or hands, fingers toes etc.. Each person is chosen by Jesus to play a particular part. We shouldn’t look down on people who don’t have our part. You certainly can invite them to join in your part but maybe Jesus has a different purpose for them than you do. It is God who puts each Christian in his body as he chooses. Who are you to question God or make someone feel bad because of the part the Lord has chosen for them in his body? Let us give thanks they are part of the body and seek how we may edify them in their respective parts.
Gracious God, heavenly Father, we thank you that you through baptism have made us part of the body of Christ. Grant us unto the grace to rejoice in our place in the body, to do our part and grace to rejoice in others for their part of the body they serve and help us to build them up in their part. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.