1 Corinthians 12:12-26 (NIV)

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free —and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 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? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 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!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Reflection:

Professional bodybuilders are somewhat peculiar in their ways. They are incredibly disciplined and detailed in their workouts, as they understand the value and significance of every single part of the body. There can be no undeveloped or lagging parts. Every body part must develop symmetrically and function at its absolute best in order to win a competition. God is also interested in bodybuilding of a different nature. He wants His church to belong to one another as part of one body. And he desires to build every muscle in church with no superior or inferior body parts; everything symmetrical. If one part is weak then the whole body is weak. Just as a simple cold, cough or sore throat can affect your whole body, when one part of the body of Christ suffers, the whole body is brought down or when one part is honored, the whole body can rejoice.

As we gather together as God’s people, Paul focuses on the importance of health, unity, and the well being of the whole church. Every part of the body is to grow and do its work. Paul reminds us through these passages that everybody is somebody because we’re in this together.

Response:

Let us pray that we would grow together as His church; belonging to one another and coming to a greater understanding of the depth of loving and caring for one another as part of his body.