12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.
12:13 For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit.
12:14 For the body is not one member, but many.
12:15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body.
12:16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; it is not therefore not of the body.
12:17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
12:18 But now hath God set the members each one of them in the body, even as it pleased him.
12:19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
12:20 But now they are many members, but one body.
12:21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of thee: or again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
12:22 Nay, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary:
12:23and those `parts' of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely `parts' have more abundant comeliness;
12:24 whereas our comely `parts' have no need: but God tempered the body together, giving more abundant honor to that `part' which lacked;
12:25 that there should be no schism in the body; but `that' the members should have the same care one for another.
12:26And whether one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it; or `one' member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
I've been reading a pretty amazing book lately. pretty much about learning to bear each others loads. There's a pretty serious message there especially in this day and age when we all about looking out for number 1, One pretty good point that it makes is that Jesus never asks us to do any more than he was willing to do for us. Not even close. Maybe as we get up and head to church instead of looking to get fed, maybe we should be looking for where we can be of help.
Here's a little twist on a JFK quote. Ask not what your pastor can do for you, ask rather what we can do for our pastors. Or rather Jesus already laid his life down for us. Somehow I have to believe that unity is essential as we learn to serve Christ. In the 12 step fellowships there is a tradition that contains the phrase Principles before personalities.
Today at church the message was pretty much about facing challenges that the world presents us with. Perhaps we could face them a little better if we stick together. This is quite the challenge. After we ar all imperfect. Learning to be transparent requires risk but, Let's face Love is a risk and sometimes it hurts.
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