For the body is not one member, but many.  If the foot shall say, because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?  And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing?  If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

I Corinthians 12:14-18

In the Body of Christ, there is true diversity and genuine unity.  It is as we recognize this that we understand how to fulfill our role within the Body.  As Paul points out, the foot, the hand, the ear and the eye are all part of the body.  None of them are the same, yet each of them is necessary.  None of them can say, ‘because I am not some other body part, I am not a member at all.’  As individuals we may wait some time, perhaps even years, to come to definite conclusions about what our exact role is in the Body of Christ.  It is not always self-evident.  Over time, as our understanding of Christ, and of His Body increases, we begin to appreciate the uniqueness of the talents and abilities, which each of us has in order to contribute to the greater good.  This is a far cry from thinking that because our talents and abilities are not the same as another person’s that therefore we are not a member of the Body.  As members of the Body of Christ, the Head is what brings us together, and issues assignments best suited to our particular gifts.  By the fulfilling of these roles, we bring glory to Christ, the Living Head. 

Our Gracious and Loving God,
we rejoice that You have made us one,
even though we are very diverse.
We praise You that as each of us
fulfills our role, we bring glory to Christ,
our Savior and our Head.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

I Corinthians 12:12

How do we fit in to the larger scheme of things when it comes to the discussion of the Body of Christ?  When we speak of the Body of Christ, we are referring to all of the redeemed of all ages.  Paul has quite a lot to say on this topic.  By using the illustration of the human body, Paul makes many things clear to us about how we relate to each other.  In our text he speaks of the unity of all believers by saying, ‘the body is one.’  He speaks of the diversity, which exists within the Body, by saying that it has many members.  He goes on to explain, ‘all the members of that one body, being many, are one body.’  To complete his point, Paul says, ‘so also is Christ.’  We can observe the human body and draw a number of conclusions, which will help us understand how we fit in to the Body of Christ.  Not all body parts look the same, nor do they all perform the same function.  The most important parts of the body, what we call the vital organs, are veiled behind the outer portions.  The skeletal structure, which upholds the whole mass, is again hidden from view.  So, the Body of Christ is a complex whole with many functioning parts.  As we consider this over time, we marvel at the wisdom of God to set before us such a vivid illustration.  We all have a role to play within the body and fit into our appointed place.

Our Wise, Creating God,
we rejoice that You have formed us into the Body of Christ.
we praise You that as we are able to better understand
how we fit into that body,
we will be better able to serve in the role we play.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning