UNITY AND DIVERSITY

By ELIZABETH COOPER

Thursday 22 October 2020

1 CORINTHIANS 12

Unity & Diversity in the body of Christ

"But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be?  As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
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!"  On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,  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, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it."

 

On reading this verse in my quiet time, my Bible notes remind me that I need to find my place in the body of Christ. 
God has placed me here - and I don't need to be in a different church where people think more like me, or see things my way.  
Corinthians reminds us how many parts there are to a body and how they are all placed correctly and all needed, and the body functions best when all the body parts are working as they should.
 
I am reminded of the wildebeests and zebras who migrate together. 
Two massive herds of such different species. 
Wildebeests have poor eyesight but a very keen sense of smell.
Zebras have very good eyesight but a poor sense of smell.
Together they are less vulnerable to attack because their differences compensate for their weaknesses.
 
My notes remind me that membership in Christ's body throws me together with people who are different. And while those differences can rub me the wrong way sometimes, they are differences that God has designed to benefit me.
 
Zebras and wildebeests don't have to like each other, but their survival and success depend on getting along together .
 
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