Scripture

God has put the body together such that extra honour and care are given to the parts that have less dignity.

Observation

The human body has many parts, but those parts together make up the one whole body. All the people in Christ’s body are different, but it is all one body.

If different parts of a person’s body were to say, “I don’t belong!” it would make no difference to reality. In any event, the body would be less if different parts were cut off from it.

Some parts of the body that seem least important are actually vital. The parts of our body that seem less honourable, we treat with special care.

Just as God has put all the parts of our physical body in just the right place, He also puts all the parts of the Body of Christ into the right place and right function.

Application

Sometimes people get very jealous of other christians whom they perceive are treated with unreasonable respect. These people might be pastors or have some other ministry in the church. Often pastors can be envious of other pastors who seem to have influence beyond their talent.

Paul tells us we should not envy other christians. God has put us and them in the exact place He wants us to be. Let is all get on with the job that He has asked us to do.

Paul makes a very controversial point in his analogy. We take specials care of the bits of our bodies that are considered not honourable to parade around in public. In a sense, we give those parts extra honour and care.

God does this with His Body, too. The people who get the respect and the plaudits from both the world and the church are not necessarily His favourites. God is giving special honour to the weakest members!

Celebrity preachers and christian TV teachers are not the top of the tree in God’s kingdom.

Do not be envious of other christians. What they have is not necessarily what it seems.

Prayer

Please help me, Lord, to focus my attention on serving you. I renounce any jealousy that I might have felt towards other believers, and today, Lord, I pray that you will bless them in Jesus’ name. Amen.