Saturday, March 26, 2022

Romans 12:4-5
For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.
In the movie based on the book by Madeleine L’Engle’s Wrinkle in Time there is one scene of a neighborhood where all the houses are exactly the same. And at each house on the driveway was a little child bouncing a ball at the same time. Each bounce was perfectly in sync with the other bounces. And then a mom appeared from inside each house at the same time and clapped (at the same time of course) for the little child to come in the house. It was rather disturbing! Is that what we would have to become to be in unity? To be one body in Christ?
No! I think not!  Romans 12:4-5 and also I Corinthians 12:12-27 provides us with the picture of unity as a human body. We are all different and all have different functions. Each one of us has different gifts to provide to the whole body. Each function is needed and important as I Corinthians describes the different members (hands, feet, eyes, ears) all working together in the human body.
Logically, since we are all different, just like parts of the body, there needs to be a uniting force to keep us together and working. As mentioned in the scriptures, that uniting force is Jesus Christ. His love and examples of how to love our neighbor are the glue that unites us together and allows us to work as one in mission regardless of our different skills and interests. 
In order to accomplish Jesus’ mission, we need to work together. Can you think of other examples in nature or elsewhere that God has given us of different members working together as one to accomplish a goal or mission? 
Prayer: Dear God, please help us to learn from each other and from examples you have given us in the Bible and in our lives of how to work together to accomplish your will on earth. Please let us see the value and gifts of others and of ourselves and how they can come together in love for all. Amen.
Susan Buda