The Body of Christ

            The human body is an intricately amazing thing. Now, that is no surprise for those in the biological or medical fields. They have done the painstaking work of diving into the extremely detailed muscles, bones, tissues, ligaments, and tendons that make up our bodies. All of the moving parts that are big and small that are working simultaneously together just for you to take a step, breathe, shake someone’s hand, blink, and even talk is a breathtaking function.
            I had a first-hand, humbling experience with the elaborately complex thing known as the body of a human being. I was a senior in college and had to take an Introduction to Anatomy course to complete my Coaching Minor. Now, I thought I knew what I was getting into. All I needed to know to be dangerous was to figure out the best way to tape an ankle, do a stretch, have a basic idea of how major muscle and bone groups work, and most importantly…point the injured athlete to the nearest nurse, doctor, or trainer and let the professionals take care of things.
            Oh, did I have a rude awakening! I can remember being handed a 20-page packet that had diagram upon diagram of bone, muscles, ligaments, joints, tendons, etc. that all had to do with the human hand. 20 pages! And then my professor told the class that we would be having a quiz on this material the next week, so we essentially had to memorize the parts of the human hand in a little less than a week! And let’s just say there is more than just five fingers, a palm, and knuckles! Incredible! I did not do so well on that quiz. In fact, I did not do so well in the class at all. I was overwhelmed and outmatched when it came to learning about our human anatomy. There was so much to it! It never ended! The connections went on and on and on! This thing triggered that thing, that led to another thing, that came around to that thing…see I can’t even remember what those “things” were, but it was amazing…amazingly detailed.
            I ended up taking two things away from this class. One, was a greater appreciation and definition of God as my Creator and the second was the humbling experience of how small I am on my own. If you are like me, you need other people to help you, to support you, to encourage you, to challenge you. When God made the human body, He did it such a fascinating way in which all the thousands of individual parts, each doing their own thing, were working together in unity and harmony for a greater purpose. They were different in look, size, shape, and ability, but when put together, they moved in sync to accomplish something amazing.
            It is the same way with another Body that God has designed and created: the Body of Christ: the Church. Each of us, though different and unique, have been called to rely on one another, to work together to love, serve, and worship God with our lives. This week, we continue seeing this profound mystery unveiled to us through the words of the Apostle Paul as he reminds us that each one is essential to this Body of Christ, that we can’t do it alone or apart from one another, that each one plays its part, and when we are unified in our uniqueness, Christ is glorified.
            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.
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