Saturday, 8 June 2013

One body



so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. – Romans 12.5

The various parts of our body have amazing diversity. Our body parts are designed so that some parts taste, some parts smell, some parts hear, some parts transport, some part pump blood, some parts transport oxygen, some parts turn food into energy, some parts fight off infection, some parts manipulate, and so on and so on and so on.  It is a marvellous system that is fearfully and wonderfully made.

And yet, with all of this diversity the body functions as one. When functioning properly all the systems of the body work together to carry out what we call life. I am glad for all of my parts – I would hate to have to try and eat with my ear.

Likewise the church enjoys and beautiful and wonderful diversity. With all of our different skin colours and nationalities and languages and cultures we are still one. With all of our strengths and weaknesses and abilities and skills and talents and gifts and powers and even our quirks we are all still one.

It is sad that we so often divide over our diversity. We are all one body and as such we are all members of each other. We need each other. We need our differences. We need all of us. We are not one unless we understand and appreciate the need for diversity as one body.

Isn’t it time that we learn to celebrate our unified diversity?

We are one body – let’s stop tearing that body apart with our own petty selfishness. 

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