Last week we shared that the Body of Christ is made up of many parts. Each Christian is an important part of God’s Plan on earth.
That brings up another issue. Which part are we? Does it matter? Think about it. Does it really matter which part of the Body we are? Isn’t it enough that God made us a part? Isn’t it enough that we are safe and secure for all eternity and also get to participate in God’s Eternal Plan by being a member of Christ’s Body? Does it really matter which part we are?
It is important to understand the part we play in the Body of Christ, but we also need to understand that every part is just as important and as vital as any other part. Someone who preaches the Gospel is no more important than someone who supports the preacher through prayer and financial support. The evangelist is no more important than someone who helps sinners find a seat in the auditorium so they can hear the evangelist. What’s the deal with us? Why are we so concerned about what someone else does? Why do Christians compare themselves with other Christians? Why do we think we’re better or worse than some other Christian just because our gifts and ministries are different? What does it matter?
“But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” 1 Corinthians 12:11
Come on! Why are we divided? Why are we conceited? Why are we troubled? Why do we find pleasure in the problems of our brothers and sisters? Why do we gloat about the troubles of others? Why would we ever want any member of the Body of Christ to fail in their ministry? Don’t we realize that we’re members of the same Body? Our goals should always be the same as God’s Goals. Let’s grow up and move up to what God wants His Body to be!
“For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,’ is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,’ is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 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.’ No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
We understand that the body cannot function without the head. So it is with Jesus Christ – Head of His Body. We cannot function in the way God planned for the Church if we do not pay attention to God’s Thoughts and Ideas. How does He communicate His Thoughts and Ideas? Through Jesus Christ – Head of the Body. So many Christians today are out of step with God’s Plan for the Church because they are practically disconnected from the leadership of Christ. Everything begins there. We can do nothing without Christ.
Paul begins his explanation about the importance of every believer’s function in the Body of Christ with the foot. “If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,’ is it therefore not of the body?” Think about your own body. How important are your feet to carrying out your plans each day? How do you get from one place to another? You walk. Even if you’re walking to and from a car to get places, you are still using your feet. We stand on our feet as well. Our feet support us. So people who are “feet” in the Body of Christ help us to stand and walk. So, why would someone who is a foot in the Body think less of their importance because they are not the hands? It’s mostly perception and pride. Feet are usually covered in public and not thought about much, even though they are extremely important. Hands, on the other hand, are seen prominently in public and thought about a great deal. Hands are thought of as being attractive, while feet are thought of as being less attractive. People who are feet in the Body are as important to God’s Plans as people who are hands. The hands may get more attention and even be more attractive, but they are no more important than feet. How do hands get from one place to another? The feet transport them. The same is true with the Body of Christ.
Next, Paul uses the example of the ear. “And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,’ is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?” We understand the importance of our eyes and ears. It is how we gain knowledge – how we experience pleasure and sense danger. If we have eyes, but no ears, our knowledge and senses are not complete. If we have ears, but no eyes, the same is true. God gave us eyes and ears so that our experiences in this life would be complete. The same is true with the Body of Christ. If you are an ear, you should not think of yourself as unimportant in the Body because you are not an eye. If you are an eye, you should not think of yourself as unimportant in the Body because you are not an ear. Christians spend too much time thinking about what they are not instead of what they are and appreciating God’s Plan for their lives.
This plan is about what pleases God – “But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.” Christians often look at their life solely from their perspective. If something comes into our life that doesn’t please us, it upsets us and our attention goes to how everything affects us. It’s not about us. It’s about God and what pleases Him. Well, we just saw it – God has set the members in Christ’s Body “just as He pleased.” Do you see how important you are? God’s pleasure is involved in your position in the Body of Christ!
God has a Plan and He has included us in His Plan. He has explained to us how His Plan works. Now it’s up to us to live and serve by the Principles of His Plan. It works best that way.
In Christ’s Love and Grace,
Mark McGee
GraceLife Ministries
“Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”
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