Paul said that the church,
like a physical body is one unit made up of many parts. And although there are
many parts, every part formed that one body. Regardless of race or social
status, the Spirit grafts us into the one and same body when we become
Christians. Now we all participate of the same Spirit. The church like the body
had unity amidst diversity. The emphasis is this: while the church is a unit with
many parts, it does not require that every part should follow the others. The
unity of the church comes with diversity and not uniformity.
In verses 14-26, using the different
parts of body, Paul discussed on the need for diversity in the church. It would
be a comical scene if each part of the body has its own brain and mouth and can
think and talk. What would it say, especially if it compares itself with other
parts of the body? But the reality is
that every member of the church does have a brain and does have a mouth and can
think and talk.
A foot that compares itself
to the hand and feel inferior does not negate the fact that it is still a part
of the body. In the same way an ear can feel less important if it compares itself
with the eye. It is also not any lesser a part of the body. As much as we don’t
want any part of our body to feel inferior and then shut down and refuse to function,
so also the same with Christ’s body, the church. Like a functioning body every
part must work. And as every part functions than the body stays healthy. There is
no part in a body that can function independently of the other because when one
part shuts down, the whole body eventually shuts down. One part needs the other
parts.
Like the physical body, it would
be illogical if every part was the same as the other. It would be abnormal if our whole body was
just one big eye, all 5’ 7” of it, rolling on the street. If the whole body was
an eye than how would we be able to hear? If we only have hearing how would our
sense of smell be? Paul is saying that the different parts are needed as each
has a function it is made for. As the
body needs the various parts so the church also needs the different members. Knowing this, God has placed different members
within the church as He intends it to be. Hence the church had many members but
all form the one body.
Since every part of the body
requires the other, one part cannot say to the other, I don’t need you. We
should not allow pride to come in the way to make us feel that we don’t need
the other members of the body. Then there are those who may have an inferiority
complex. They would want to stay in insolation. Both fail to engage in the kind
of fellowship that God desires the church to have.
Some parts of the body that
are seemingly weaker and less outstanding are usually more important and crucial.
There is a tendency for us to put emphasis on the less important part because they
are more prominent. For example, one would take great care to make the eyes
look good because it’s on the face. But when it comes to parts that we cover up
we don’t give it as much care because it is not open to scrutiny. Instead of
allowing our differences to be a point of contention why don’t we allow them to
be our point for unity? We need what the other has to supplement what we lack.
And we must allow what others have to complement what we have. Paul said that
God had made us different so that we could care for each other and not show
division. Like the different parts of the body, God has also made members of the
church body interdependent on each other. So if every part is functioning, the
whole body would be in good working condition. If one part stops functioning,
the whole body would be affected. Honor or suffering, one always affects the
other. Hence we should be concerned for each other.
Let’s be mindful that God has
given each one of us different gifts. We must use our gifts to help others in
the fellowship to grow. As a member of the body let us function in unity and be
interdependent. For when one member is affected, we will be affected. Let’s
share and grow together!
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