BODY POSITIVITY
1 Corinthians 12:17-21 NKJV
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
This is a great chapter filled with important information, such as the workings of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit. And just a note: when you read this chapter, none of this has changed. If people subscribe to the idea that it’s God who determines how the Body of Christ is formed, and that has not changed. Then, the first part of the chapter describing the gifts or manifestations of the Holy Spirit also has not changed. If the gifts have “passed away,” then the body has passed away also? Nope, both are spiritual truths that are still in play.
Our verses for today deal with the Body of Christ. We who have received Christ have been made a part of the Body of Christ as individual members. So the metaphor of the different parts of the human body is seen in the Body of Christ. We have different functions and different roles. This is why Paul says if the whole body were an eye, then where would the smelling be? And now we see that God has set each one of us in the Body as He pleased. God, who designed and created the human body, has designed and created the spiritual Body of Christ.
This concept should serve to help us appreciate the different parts of the body. As a pastor, I have a role, a part, to play in the Body, but I know very well that it takes the different parts of the Body to operate a local church. If everyone in The Ark was a preacher, there would be many things that simply would not get done. I am thinking about music and organization and ushering, and who is watching the children? No, if we understand that to be fully healthy physically, our bodies need all the parts functioning well. If you have ever had a bad ingrown toenail, you know that all of the body parts are important.
There is another thought that needs to be explored. Because we are a body and each part of the body has a role, this means there are no unused or throwaway parts. And this would mean that we all have something to do to add to the Body. Ephesians 4:15-16 says, “but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” Jesus is the head of the Body. We should get our direction and leading from Him. We are His Body in the earth, and every part has a share in the work. I realize this flies in the face of much of the church today. Unfortunately, some have developed a mentality that the church preachers and staff do the work, and that attending church is doing their share. Although we certainly appreciate people coming and watching, one of the main purposes of the church is to equip and strengthen the Body of Christ to do the work of ministry. My role is to equip church members to reach, help, and bless others. Theoretically, we should never be short of volunteers in the churches of America.
If you think I am on a soapbox, you may be correct. But it’s a worthy soapbox. For people to find and fulfill their place in the Body of Christ impacts two realms: the work of Christ in the earth today. And the rewards for each member of the Body of Christ in the next life.
PRAYER
A dare prayer: Lord, show me where You have placed me in the Body of Christ and what steps I need to take to fulfill my calling.