If you've ever sustained an injury to a portion of your body, you realize it didn't remain concentrated in that area, but it affected your whole person.
You're working on a project and hit your thumb with a hammer.
It affects your feet, 'cuz now you're dancing.
It affects your eyes, 'cuz now you're crying.
It affects your mouth, 'cuz now you're using bowling words.
So it is in the church.
'Each part should have equal concern for the other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part rejoices.' (I Corinthians 12:26)
If someone in the church is hurting or suffering or in pain, many feel that.
A brother loses a long, hard battle with cancer. We feel that.
A woman who is so excited to finally be pregnant miscarries. We feel that.
Someone loses their job and then loses their home. We feel that.
A couple can't work it out and one of them walks away. We feel that.
When folks are hurting, it is the great privilege of the church - the body of Christ - to hurt with them.
The reverse is also true. If somebody gets a raise ... somebody gets married ... somebody graduates ... somebody is healed ... somebody has a baby ... we all celebrate.
This is what it means to be the church --- to be unified amid our differences because we're centered around the person and work of Jesus. We have a common mission and a common battle and a common purpose and a common enemy. We have inter-dependence. We desperately need each other and the more kinds of people who participate with their various giftings and skills, the better we all are. We have worth - that even though everyone isn't equally visible, everyone is equally important.
And be blessed.
You're working on a project and hit your thumb with a hammer.It affects your feet, 'cuz now you're dancing.
It affects your eyes, 'cuz now you're crying.
It affects your mouth, 'cuz now you're using bowling words.
So it is in the church.
'Each part should have equal concern for the other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part rejoices.' (I Corinthians 12:26)
If someone in the church is hurting or suffering or in pain, many feel that.
A brother loses a long, hard battle with cancer. We feel that.
A woman who is so excited to finally be pregnant miscarries. We feel that.
Someone loses their job and then loses their home. We feel that.
A couple can't work it out and one of them walks away. We feel that.
'If someone in the church is hurting or in pain, many feel that.'
When folks are hurting, it is the great privilege of the church - the body of Christ - to hurt with them.
The reverse is also true. If somebody gets a raise ... somebody gets married ... somebody graduates ... somebody is healed ... somebody has a baby ... we all celebrate.
This is what it means to be the church --- to be unified amid our differences because we're centered around the person and work of Jesus. We have a common mission and a common battle and a common purpose and a common enemy. We have inter-dependence. We desperately need each other and the more kinds of people who participate with their various giftings and skills, the better we all are. We have worth - that even though everyone isn't equally visible, everyone is equally important.
And be blessed.
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