A couple of months ago I kicked the bathtub. No, I wasn’t mad. I was clumsy.
I was getting in, failed to pick up my foot far enough, and I stubbed my toe as hard as I have ever done so. And I will not try to fool you. Tears came to my eyes, and I hollered at the top of my lungs.
I do not know if I fractured that toe because I never went to the doctor. But I do know this: It has taken a number of weeks for there to be no pain in the one toe that took the majority of the blow. And when you hurt a toe, well, it causes a number of problems.
You may begin to walk with a limp. That can impact your back. And certain shoes have been moved to the back of the closet. I’m not even trying to wear them yet.
Isn’t it funny that one small toe can cause pain to my whole body? I would imagine that the total weight of that toe is far less than 1 percent of my body weight. And yet it has impacted my whole body.
In a number of his letters, Paul referred to the church as the body of Christ. And in particular, 1 Corinthians, he spoke of how the body is to work together. He recognized that every part of the body needed the whole and that the whole body needs the individual parts in order to function properly.
Sometimes we fail to see that clearly. Sometimes we refuse to cooperate with each other. Sometimes we actively work against each other. And when we do these things, the whol e body suffers.
Imagine that you are sitting at the dinner table with me. I reach to take the potatoes with my right hand, but then my left hand slaps my right hand, causing me to spill the potatoes. What would you think?
Your first thought might be that I am playing. But what if I did the same thing with the bread? And then the green beans? You might come to the conclusion that I have lost my mind.
But in the church we sometimes do that very thing. We fight and we argue, and we fail to come to the aid of our fellow believers in times of trouble. And God in heaven must be grieved at the sight.
Jesus said to His followers, “They will know you are my disciples if you love one another.” We best show our love for each other as we cooperate to do what God has called us to do.
May I encourage you to get involved in the life of your church? Don’t be critical of leadership, but step in to assist where you can. Find a place where you can use your gifts to serve others. And work hard to be the best church member you can be.
We are the body of Christ. Let’s help each other.
I was getting in, failed to pick up my foot far enough, and I stubbed my toe as hard as I have ever done so. And I will not try to fool you. Tears came to my eyes, and I hollered at the top of my lungs.
I do not know if I fractured that toe because I never went to the doctor. But I do know this: It has taken a number of weeks for there to be no pain in the one toe that took the majority of the blow. And when you hurt a toe, well, it causes a number of problems.
You may begin to walk with a limp. That can impact your back. And certain shoes have been moved to the back of the closet. I’m not even trying to wear them yet.
Isn’t it funny that one small toe can cause pain to my whole body? I would imagine that the total weight of that toe is far less than 1 percent of my body weight. And yet it has impacted my whole body.
In a number of his letters, Paul referred to the church as the body of Christ. And in particular, 1 Corinthians, he spoke of how the body is to work together. He recognized that every part of the body needed the whole and that the whole body needs the individual parts in order to function properly.
Sometimes we fail to see that clearly. Sometimes we refuse to cooperate with each other. Sometimes we actively work against each other. And when we do these things, the whol e body suffers.
Imagine that you are sitting at the dinner table with me. I reach to take the potatoes with my right hand, but then my left hand slaps my right hand, causing me to spill the potatoes. What would you think?
Your first thought might be that I am playing. But what if I did the same thing with the bread? And then the green beans? You might come to the conclusion that I have lost my mind.
But in the church we sometimes do that very thing. We fight and we argue, and we fail to come to the aid of our fellow believers in times of trouble. And God in heaven must be grieved at the sight.
Jesus said to His followers, “They will know you are my disciples if you love one another.” We best show our love for each other as we cooperate to do what God has called us to do.
May I encourage you to get involved in the life of your church? Don’t be critical of leadership, but step in to assist where you can. Find a place where you can use your gifts to serve others. And work hard to be the best church member you can be.
We are the body of Christ. Let’s help each other.