August 25, 2021

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.  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.  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?  But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. (1 Corinthians 12:15-18)

This week we’re looking at Paul’s wonderful metaphor of the human body as a picture of the church, the body of Christ.  As Christians we are all unique in one way or another, just as each of our body parts are unique. And yet, even with so much “uniqueness” to spread around, we are actually created to only function properly as a whole: One body of different parts all working together, one church of God’s different children all working together.

Our focus today is on verse 18: “But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.” Wait, what did that say? GOD has placed the parts, just as HE wanted them? That idea is a bit foreign in our individualistic, “you do you” kind of culture.  Even within the church our tendency is to focus almost exclusively on our own preferences and not God’s.  What kind of church do I want to attend?  What kind of help do I want to provide?  And so on.

Let’s read today’s passage a few times through and lay this question before our Heavenly Father.  Lord, what do YOU want for me?  Where do YOU want to “place” me in the body of Christ? And to what extent do I allow my own desires and preferences take precedence over Yours?