Our language and speech can be powerful tools to bring situations into being. We can speak and declare something and the power of those words can affect us and others. Harsh critical words spoken over individuals can have long range debilitating affects. In the same way positive words of affirmation can go a long way building up and encouraging people. However, there are some things which our words can never change regardless of how often they are spoken or how much we endeavour to believe the words to be true.
In 1 Cor. 12:12-27 the apostle Paul is stating that our natural bodies have many different parts and different functions, each part is essential to the well-being of the body. In the midst of these verses he makes some simple but profound statements, “If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?” In a paraphrased way Paul is saying that just because the foot or the ear compares itself with other parts of the human body and concludes that they are not the same as others, they are still a part of the human body, and that each part is important.
Applying these verses, there are some born again believers who would think, “I just don’t fit into church life, I’m not like everyone else, I must be called to not be a part of a church family.” The Apostle Paul’s statements would counter what people would think with, “Yes, you are different, but everyone is different and you are an important part of the church, the body of Christ.” “Just because the foot says I am not like others does not make it not a part of the natural body.” Just because you say you are not a part and just because you think or believe that you are not a part does not mean that you are not a part of the church, the body of Christ. In the same way, just because you act like you are not a part of the body of Christ does not mean that in reality you are not a part of Christ’s body. What we or others say, think, act or believe does not change the reality that we, as born again believers, are a part of the Body of Christ. Now it is true that what we say, think, believe, or act concerning our position in the body of Christ will affect us and the rest of the body. Pauls’ illustration clearly states that when one part of the body is not functioning as it ought, there are negative consequences to the whole body, including that one part that is out of sync with the other parts.
All of this is to say that you might think that you are unimportant or unneeded, you may think that you don’t fit in to the church, the body of Christ, but in reality you are created to fit in. Regardless of how you think, you are wrong to think that you should isolate yourself from the rest of the true believers.
Take a moment to consider your place within the body of Christ, the church. Ponder and pray about what ways you can better be involved.
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