1 Corinthians 12:12-20

“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” vs. 12

Paul’s favorite metaphor for the Church is the human body. It’s a rich comparison and we can readily see the truth of what he writes. Each of us has just one physical body, but it has many parts, i.e. arms, legs, hearts, heads, stomachs, etc. And holding it all together is a vast network of bones, nerves, sinews, and blood vessels. Physiologists tell us that those connections are intricate and complex, and that every part of our bodies has some essential function in the well-being of the whole. Paul knew enough anatomy to understand how the physical body worked, and it seemed obvious to him that this is exactly how it is with the Body of Christ. He believed that all the baptized were a part of the Church, and there were none who were excluded. And even more important than that, all had an important function within the Body! Sadly, it’s been hard for this important teaching to become a reality in our congregations. Many are hopelessly homogenous, and some observers have said that Sunday morning worship is the most segregated hour in our land.  Paul labored to bring slaves and free, circumcised and uncircumcised into each community of faith. We have issues with races and genders, and when we hesitate to be inclusive, we are less than we could be, and the whole Body suffers.

Thought for the Day: What makes diversity uncomfortable?