The Body

The passage today is long, so I won’t quote it all here.  But you can place your pointer over the reference to read it. 

1 Cor 12:14-26 is a very familiar passage.  It is often preached and taught to try to stir people to action.  Pew warming isn’t Biblical!  Be an active part of the body!  The minority of church members do the majority of the work!  Let’s change that!  Let’s share the load equally!  Let’s be a unified body!

I can rattle off all of the things (besides being the pastor’s wife) that I do as part of the body.  I’m not a pew-warmer.  I am an active participant.  Those were the thoughts running through my mind before I even began to read this morning.  I knew the passage.  I knew what it said.  And, to be honest, I didn’t want to read that rut into it again.  So I prayed for an open heart, eyes, and ears. 

In all honesty, it opened more questions for me than answers.  But, one thing I did feel convicted of was this: my attitude.   As I read this familiar passage again this morning, I realized that how we view one another in the body is more “the point” than how active or inactive we are as individuals.  What is my attitude toward other members of the body?  Am I a member who encourages and motivates each member to have the courage to fulfill their role  or do I doubt their capabilities?   Do I draw out the gifts of others or does my presence and attitude lead them to believe they will never measure up to some unseen standard?  Do I really even see capabilities in others or do I just see where they are now and decide in my mind that that’s where they’ll stay? 

Being a part of the body of Christ, local or universal, is not about working the hardest.  It’s about working in unity.  And that just might take a bit of an attitude adjustment on my part.  My prayer is to receive and follow the Lord’s leadership regarding the adjustments I need to make, and my challenge is to take action to make those adjustments. 

Look at Me?

Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.  1 Cor 11:1 (NASB)

As I read this, I don’t see a cocky statement of perfection.  I see a passion.  I see a man whose heart is fixed on his desire to imitate Christ.  Paul admits in other places that he is not perfect.  He admits his own struggles – the war that rages within him.  But his heart desires a steadfast relationship with Christ, and his goal is full imitation of the One who saved him. 

Where is my heart?  Could I ever say, “Imitate me, just like I imitate Jesus Christ”?  Would I ever dare?

To be honest, I don’t want people to imitate me.  That is just too frightening a responsibility.  But, whether I desire it or not, it happens.  If with no one else, there are three little ones living with me who will imitate me without even consciously making such a decision. 

So, the challenge comes down to this – who do I imitate?  Do I imitate my culture and the world in which I live, or do I imitate Christ?   Oh, how it must be Christ, for otherwise I can never bear the weight of the responsibility of motherhood. 

Profit

All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable.  All things are lawful, but not all things edify.  Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.   1 Cor 10:23-24, 31

I have long clung to verse 31 as a reminder in my daily life to focus on God’s glory in all of my actions.  I have so far yet to grow in that area, but it truly is my heart’s desire.

But today it went a little further.  I have long realized that there are certain things that I don’t feel are a problem for me, but I abstain from them so as to not offend.  Yet, what is my foundational motive for such abstinence?  When I was confronted with that question, I realized it was not the motivation that is outlined in this passage.

My motive has long been people-pleasing for personal profit.  I want to be well thought of.  I want to be respected.  I want my life to be a positive example of others.   According to these verses, however, the profit is not my own! 

Ultimately the profit from my choices comes down to verse 31 and the glory of God.  But, the process of that is actually the profit of others – of my neighbor.  My neighbor’s salvation glorifies God in the furtherance of His kingdom, therefore my actions should be useful to God in drawing my neighbor to Himself.  My neighbor’s spiritual growth glorifies God in the furtherance of His kingdom, therefore my actions should be useful to God in encouraging the growth of my neighbor.  It isn’t just about my profit in the relationship between myself and my God.  It’s about the profit of my neighbor. 

My challenge is to broaden my understanding of glorifying God to include how best to profit my neighbor – and consequently be even more effective in glorifying my Savior!