“But some of our body parts don’t require as much attention. Instead, God has mingled the body parts together, giving greater honor to the “lesser” members who lacked it. He has done this intentionally so that every member would look after the others with mutual concern, and so that there will be no division in the body. In that way, whatever happens to one member happens to all. If one suffers, everyone suffers. If one is honored, everyone rejoices. You are the body of the Anointed One, and each of you is a unique and vital part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:24-27 TPT
Did you catch the “why” to us being mingled together as the body of Christ?
“…so that every member would look after the others with mutual concern.” EVERY MEMBER. We, as the body of Christ, are to mutually care about each other. It’s meant to be a two-way street of real, authentic, genuine love.
As I sit here and begin to type this morning, I am reminded of the scripture that weighed on my mind the other day. In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul says, “You say, ‘Under grace there are no rules and we’re free to do anything we please.’ Not exactly. Because not everything promotes growth in others. Your slogan, ‘We’re allowed to do anything we choose,’ may be true—but not everything causes the spiritual advancement of others. So don’t always seek what is best for you at the expense of another”(verse 23-24).
We can be such a prideful people. We hear the word free, and we automatically take it back to ourselves. We see a “free” sign on something in a front yard, and consider it for ourselves before thinking of it for someone else. In freedom, we stand on our rights to justify our personal opinions of right versus wrong and do versus don’t. And here, Paul reveals that it is even in our freedom in Christ that we try to justify that we can simply do what we want.
But Paul continues in saying that if it is not pushing others forward in growth or spiritual advancement, then there is no benefit working through us.
“No one should seek their own good, but the good of others” (10:24, NIV).
If we aren’t walking in love, nor operating in Truth, are we really free? For it is the Truth that sets us free… not our pride, egos and selfish desires.
True freedom is found in fulfilling the duty to which Christ has called us to; to walk in love.
As I look around in the world today, I see that we are often left with two options. To turn and run in whatever direction we think is best for ourselves or to come together in unity and fight this battle as one body.
“You are the body of the Anointed One, and each of you is a unique and vital part of it” (1 Cor. 12:27).
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “unique” as “being the only one”, “being without a like or equal”, and “distinctively characteristic”. YOU are a unique and vital part of the body of Christ. If you turn and run in your own direction, the body that unites to fight the battle will be incomplete. You are an irreplaceable part of the body.
As we look at the season that is coming our way, let us band together as one body in Christ. Let us look after one another with a mutual concern. Let us not become divided, but united. Let us encourage each other on in love and operate in the Truth, that we may experience true freedom in Christ; the freedom that He has intended for us.
Do you know what comes next in the book of 1 Corinthians? The love chapter. That’s no coincidence.
Let’s love each other today.
