THOU SHALL NOT COMPARE
I Corinthians 12:12 – 27
God placed within each of us a gift or calling. All our talents are important. Whether you have a naturally artistic side – painter, writer, musician – or lean toward management, computer technology or science and math, God made no mistake when He created you to be just who you are.
A few years ago, I had a dear friend who, periodically, lamented she didn’t know her life’s purpose. Though she served her family as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, cared for the little ones in her church’s nursery and was valued by her employer for her hard work and integrity, she felt she was never good enough. Nor did she ever find her niche. She left this world blind to the treasure she was to those around her.
She wasn’t alone in figuring out what her calling was. One time, I caught myself wishing I possessed an angelic voice like that of our praise and worship leader. God gently reminded me I hate being in the spotlight; I do my best work – and flourish – behind the scenes. My gift is to encourage, whether in the written or spoken word, and keeping an open-door policy to our home to provide food, fellowship and an ear to listen.
Two thousand years hasn’t changed us much since the Apostle Paul wrote in I Corinthians 12: 18: “…God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as He chose…” In that same passage of scripture, Paul pointed out how foolish it was if one body part (e.g.) the foot claimed it wasn’t part of the body – both physically and regarding the Body of Christ – because it wasn’t a hand.
Even today, we may take some of the crucial things for granted. For example, we show up each Sunday morning and are blessed by the smiling faces greeting us at the door, the anointed praise and worship, the preaching from the pulpit and the instruction in the classrooms. The phrase “It takes a village” originally referred to raising a child. It also applies to the church and the many contributors involved in its growth and connection to the community.
Each member has a talent they do well. But like Paul’s example of the various body parts, what if everyone wanted to preach? Who would sit in the audience? Who would have practiced to sing and play instruments? Who would teach the children? Who would pray for those in need?
One scripture in I Corinthians 12 struck me in a new meaningful way: “The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are the ones we can’t do without. The parts that we think are less important, we treat with special honor.”
Just as there are categories of tasks to be accomplished within the church, our physical bodies have eleven organ systems. Among them are: (1) the nervous system containing the brain, nerves and spinal cord (2) the cardiovascular system with the heart, arteries and veins and (3) the respiratory system which includes the lungs. Unless you’re a pulmonary patient, the last time you thought about the diaphragm might have been in a high school biology class. The diaphragm plays a major role in breathing as it inflates the lungs an average of twenty thousand times a day!
Unless all eleven systems are functioning properly, the body fails. And so it is in the church. In His infinite wisdom, God figuratively and physically showed us how much each member of the Body of Christ must work together to accomplish His purpose.
Many quietly fulfill their callings in the background. Who is responsible for the care of widows and orphans? Who organizes the workers to meet the needs of the community and foreign missions? Who makes sure the heat is working on icy January mornings or the air conditioner running normally to offset sultry August nights? Who preps the sanctuary, cleans up afterwards and maintains the surrounding grounds? Who shows up early for Sunday morning services to make coffee and bring treats for pre-church fellowship? And, sadly, in today’s world, who are the unidentified, non-uniformed volunteers trained to secure the sanctuary – and possibly protect and defend – so the congregation can safely worship Him?
If you’re wondering how you fit into the Body or wish your calling was something more to your liking, listen for that soft Voice. He will explain how He qualified you to do what only you can do and the reason He didn’t call you to do something else.
There are many parts and jobs to be carried out in the Body of Christ. We are all His hands, His feet, His breath, His heart. To those sometimes-unnoticed servants who faithfully serve the church, as well as our leaders who – as shepherds who follow Christ – I honor you. Every single one.
Elaine Hall
The Conversation
Good word Elaine!
Everyone needs to hear these words, Elaine, so thank you. So many doubt their usefulness because they don’t know their “calling”. Too often they doubt their usefulness – because they hear Satan telling them they aren’t worthy. Hogwash! God created every one of us, and Jesus made us worthy. James 4:7 says “Resist the devil an he will flee from you.”
Just tell Satan to go to hell.