But in fact, God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 1 Corinthians 12:18
I enjoy reading World War II books and just finished one about the Allied bombing in Europe. The war was not going well and attempts to wipe out the enemy were not going well. The targets were mainly airfields and aircraft manufacturing plants.
Then someone had a better idea…. knock out the ball bearing facilities. How important are ball bearings? But on second thought if something is mechanical and moves, it is probably because of ball bearings. Without ball bearings planes couldn’t fly and trucks couldn’t roll.
The military commanders suddenly realized that if they wiped out the ball bearing manufacturing they could bring the enemy to their knees… and they did just that and without ball bearings the war would grind to a halt… and it did.
The church is like that. It has many parts and there is a place and role for every person. There are many different instruments in an orchestra, and they all have different sounds. How boring it would be if the orchestra consisted of one instrument playing the same part. First violin gets all the credit, but without second violin there would be no harmony.
Just as our bodies are made up of many wonderful parts, so is a well-run church and not one, not one, is more important than the other. In my church there is a mid-life special needs lady, very limited in what she can do, but with enthusiasm she faithfully serves as a greeter with a big smile for all who enter, and they love her and in turn she shows her love for them.
In writing to the church at Corinth, Paul compares the church body with the human body and asks what would happen if some parts decided to quit because they couldn’t do the work of another part. People were wanting to leave the church because they didn’t want to do the role they were given to serve.
Paul drives home the point. Our body parts don’t choose their jobs, God does, and the church is no different. Each part is given a part for which it is designed, and all parts of the body have to work in harmony with all other parts.
His point is that the church is the same. The Holy Spirit matches each member with their gifts and goals to be used to serve the church as a whole. We don’t decide which role to play in the church, but that which we were given needs to serve not as we want but as does, none being more important than the other.
What role has God given you to serve in the church?
SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES
7 Times Not To Speak
- Don’t speak too much (Prov. 19:19).
- Don’t speak when angry (Prov. 12:16).
- Don’t speak harshly (Prov. 14:15).
- Don’t speak before thinking (Prov 15:28).
- Don’t speak boastfully (Prov. 17:19).
- Don’t speak until you hear both sides (Prov. 18:17).
- Don’t speak of things said in confidence (Prov. 20:19).
— o —
birds
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.” – Psalm 100 ESV
QUOTES YOU CAN USE
Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. Harriet Beecher Stowe
My worth is not in what I own.
Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it –Ronald Reagan (1986)
If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it’s free! — P. J. O’Rourke
Nothing + Nothing = Nothing. Dan Shock
Love Tells the Truth Even When the Other Person Doesn’t Want to Hear It. Ken Whitten
Every strike brings me closer to the next home run. Babe Ruth
Peace comes when we turn those overwhelming issues over to God and cease trying to dictate the outcome. Dan Shock
You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you. St. Augustine
Commerce is a game of skill, which every man cannot play, which few men can play well. RALPH WALDO EMERSON