Who Do You Need?
A famous athlete sat tall in his seat as he prepared to fly to the championship bout he knew he’d win. A flight attendant walked by and said, “Sir, please fasten your seat belt.” The man smiled. “Superman don’t need no seat belt.” She replied without missing a beat, “Superman don’t need no airplane. Buckle up.” And he did.
Success can swell our heads. We don’t need a seatbelt or a flight attendant telling us what to do. We can take care of ourselves. If we bring this attitude to church, we’re like an eye that says to the hand, “I don’t need you!” or a head that says to the feet, “I don’t need you!” (1 Corinthians 12:21). The truth is, every part of the body is needed, and “those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable” (v. 22).
We’re made in the image of the triune God: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who thrive in an interdependent community of love. The God who exists in perfect relationship within Himself made us to be in relationship with others in life and in the church. We’re not all the same, and that’s a good thing. “If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be?” (v. 17). We’re not all the same but we’re all “indispensable” (v. 22). Who helps you at your local body of Christ? Tell them you notice, that you see them, and thank them for their service. And ask God to show you where you can serve other believers.
By: Mike Wittmer- Our Daily Bread Ministries
1 Corinthians 12:12-14,18,21-27
Unity and Diversity in the Body
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[a] 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.Dear Jesus, please empower me to serve others from where You’ve placed me.
18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.
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.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
