Romans 12:3-5
Have you ever played with a Mr Potato Head toy? These few verses remind me of playing with one of those as a kid; you get to place the arms, feet, ears, mouth, nose, eyes, and hat! The individual body parts are stored inside the toy, and you get to place them where you want. Every body part has its own function, but it’s all part of one body. The same goes for our bodies; our eyes are meant to see, ears to hear, mouth and tongue to taste and talk, legs to walk, nose to smell… the list goes on. The same goes for the church.
I’d argue this is one of the most important set of verses for the church to live out. Each of us has been gifted by God with strengths; some of us are good at teaching, some are good at working with kids, some are musically talented, some are gifted in carpentry, some have strengths in teaching, others are diligent in prayer… again, the list goes on. We are all a part of one church, not just here at Emmanuel, but as the entire body of Christ. We stand united, and all have one thing in common: we have been saved by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The church could not function without different members. In a human body, the leg can’t smell, and the nose can’t walk; they have different functions. God has gifted you with different abilities that you bring to the body of Christ. Although each of us may do different things, we all live to serve as one united body and bring glory to God.
Paul warns us, though, not to boast in our abilities. Our gifts were given BY God to be used FOR God. We must live in humility so that there can be harmony in the body of Christ. If individuals begin to boast with pride about what they’re doing for the Lord, even if they don’t say it out loud, it causes disunity. This type of thinking can actually hinder the entire mission of the church. Paul is reminding us to tone it down!
He is also calling us to humbly serve the Lord alongside one another. When we don’t have this as a focus, we fail to work together with one goal in mind. This type of thinking can cause a “me-focused” mission. Our hands typically work with our eyes when we’re building something. Our ears work alongside our mouths in conversation. These verses remind us that we need one another in fellowship. A body doesn’t function well if it is missing a leg, an eye, or a mouth!
Take a moment to reflect on the gifts that God has given you and challenge yourself to bring those to the church. If you’re already doing that, take a moment to pray that you would remain humble in your service towards Him. Finally, seek to maintain unity in the body; to work together and stray from doing things on your own.
Have you ever played with a Mr Potato Head toy? These few verses remind me of playing with one of those as a kid; you get to place the arms, feet, ears, mouth, nose, eyes, and hat! The individual body parts are stored inside the toy, and you get to place them where you want. Every body part has its own function, but it’s all part of one body. The same goes for our bodies; our eyes are meant to see, ears to hear, mouth and tongue to taste and talk, legs to walk, nose to smell… the list goes on. The same goes for the church.
I’d argue this is one of the most important set of verses for the church to live out. Each of us has been gifted by God with strengths; some of us are good at teaching, some are good at working with kids, some are musically talented, some are gifted in carpentry, some have strengths in teaching, others are diligent in prayer… again, the list goes on. We are all a part of one church, not just here at Emmanuel, but as the entire body of Christ. We stand united, and all have one thing in common: we have been saved by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The church could not function without different members. In a human body, the leg can’t smell, and the nose can’t walk; they have different functions. God has gifted you with different abilities that you bring to the body of Christ. Although each of us may do different things, we all live to serve as one united body and bring glory to God.
Paul warns us, though, not to boast in our abilities. Our gifts were given BY God to be used FOR God. We must live in humility so that there can be harmony in the body of Christ. If individuals begin to boast with pride about what they’re doing for the Lord, even if they don’t say it out loud, it causes disunity. This type of thinking can actually hinder the entire mission of the church. Paul is reminding us to tone it down!
He is also calling us to humbly serve the Lord alongside one another. When we don’t have this as a focus, we fail to work together with one goal in mind. This type of thinking can cause a “me-focused” mission. Our hands typically work with our eyes when we’re building something. Our ears work alongside our mouths in conversation. These verses remind us that we need one another in fellowship. A body doesn’t function well if it is missing a leg, an eye, or a mouth!
Take a moment to reflect on the gifts that God has given you and challenge yourself to bring those to the church. If you’re already doing that, take a moment to pray that you would remain humble in your service towards Him. Finally, seek to maintain unity in the body; to work together and stray from doing things on your own.
Posted in Devotional