March 31, 2022 (Lent Week 4)

  

 


 

I Corinthians 12:12-26 (NIV)

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body.  So it is with Christ.  For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.  If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body, “ it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.  And if the ear should say,”Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be?  If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?  But in fact God arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.  If they were all one part, where would the body be?  As it is, there are man parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “ I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “ I don’t need you? On the contrary, Those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honarable we treat with special honor.  And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment.  But God has combined the members of the body and given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it, if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

 

As I have read and re-read this passage, two things seemed to jump out at me. 

The first being we are all a part of a whole and need to fulfill our part.  I like cooking.  Every recipe is made up of various components of varied amounts which together make up the delicious end result.  No matter how much or how little, if it is missing or in the wrong amount the result won’t be as good as it should be. We’ve all been given abilities, talents.  What are we doing with them?  In this lenten season we give things up but we are also to give of ourselves. A while back we were challenged to not just be bench warmers but to get involved.  Where are the needs?  Where can I help?

The last thing that really jumped out at me in this passage was the thought of collective strength. We don’t always know what is going on with another but we can be a strong support to each other. Last Sunday a lady in the church introduced herself and gave me a handshake.  That felt SO incredibly good.  We serve such an amazing loving God.  In this time of reflection may be look at ourselves where we can truly reach out in love. 

Where is the need?  Where is help required?  Who needs a smile today?

 

- Diane Starrenburg

 


 

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