Questions for the Church … and You tagged: , , ,

Questions for the Church … and You

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Every now and then I see a church marquee which reads “CH_RCH IS NOT COMPLETE WITHOUT U”. Of course there are other variations I’ve seen, too:

What’s Wrong in Church is U.

What’s Missing in Church is U.

Is the “church” you?

Believers in Jesus Christ are the body of Christ. The body of Christ is the church of Christ. Each member of the body is a portion of His Body, as Paul stated that the eye and the foot are equal parts in the function of the body–but one cannot do the part of the other. So when you step on the “body’s” toe, or poke the “body” in the eye, the whole body of Christ–His church–suffers. Jesus suffers. The kingdom suffers.

When we are “in” Christ and He is “in” us, our actions towards one another should bespeak such consideration for one another that we are willing to scratch what itches, knead sore muscles, or apply antiseptic to wounds. Too many fingers, arms, and elbows can make this an impossible task. Sometimes one part of the body thinks penicillin is the cure for what ails the body when all the body needs is a dose of Vitamin C.

When the mouth speaks from the heart, and the heart shares with the hand this it is hurting from the smack the hand just gave the cheek’s face, then the whole body feels the residual pain from that whack. Don’t you think the hand is what needs to correct its actions, offer apologies and say it will never do that again. Is it really the responsibility of the feet, elbows, tongue and nose to constantly be operating on the heart?

When you hurt another brother or sister and that brother or sister has told you of that hurt, shouldn’t you go to that brother or sister and do whatever is necessary to help heal the situation? Shouldn’t you ask what hurts? Shouldn’t you care what hurts? If you love the Church of Christ Jesus, Himself, and that brother or sister is part of the Church, shouldn’t you care enough to set aside priorities, pride, and self to soothe and heal the whole?

Is continual criticism of the way the nose looks, the way the hand moves, and the way the feet smell, a help or a hindrance to the whole body? Whose responsibility is it to wipe another’s nose, smack another’s hand, or wash another’s feet? Where do we draw the line on helping the body and hurting the body?

Is drawing attention to all its flaws the most productive thing we can do? Or is praising its strengths and building up its muscles and organs better? What part of the body are you? What do you think your responsibility is to the rest of the body? Are you effecting its health or destroying its health?

ARE U WHAT IS RIGHT IN CH_RCH? selahV

[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2008]