From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:16
Read that again.
Did you see it?
Did you see the word “each”?
EACH person in the body of Christ has a job to do and when one person doesn’t do his or her job, the church doesn’t function as it is intended to function, it doesn’t grow and build itself up. EACH person has a purpose for the kingdom. When one person sits on the sidelines, the whole body suffers.
Christianity is not a spectator sport. We are not called to sit on the sidelines and watch others carry the ball. We are called to be in the midst of all the work. We are EACH a part of the team and EACH have a purpose to fulfill.
Imagine that you get on a bicycle. The wheels must have air, the pedals have to be able to go around, the brakes have to be able to stop the wheels from turning. If any one part of the bicycle is not functioning, you can’t ride it. It will not work properly. The problem can be diagnosed pretty quickly, the bicycle repaired, and the rider back on the road.
It’s harder to see what isn’t functioning well when we talk about work that involves humans. We don’t really know what we are missing because we have never seen it work at full capacity. I can’t help but wonder what would happen if EACH of us were to do our part. How different might the church look.
Are you doing your part? If not, do you wonder what a difference you could make? According to scripture, your part is important and will make a huge difference. You are not responsible for the whole. Just your part. You are a vital piece of the whole body.
Don’t misunderstand what I am saying. We can only do what God puts in front of us. No more. No less. My part may feel small and insignificant. Trust me. It’s not! There is no insignificant part in the work of the Kingdom. Has anyone ever done something for you, and you felt it was too small, too insignificant. Of course not! Nothing you do is insignificant either.
There are people who have a bigger stage. They seem to make a bigger difference. They may have the voice, the money, or the talents to influence change. Others make a difference in quieter ways. They take food to families who are hurting, send text messages of encouragement, soothe crying babies, or sit quietly with those who are alone. Make no mistake, God uses EACH of us to serve others in different ways. No matter how you are serving, you are making a difference in the lives of the people that you touch.
You may feel that what you are doing is not important or not enough. That is a lie from satan. He wants you to feel insignificant. God knows that when you step out in obedience to Him, regardless of how society views the task, any task that you do for Him is not only significant, it is priceless.
The body of Christ needs you, your talents, and your obedience. I hope you are already praying and asking God to show you how you can be an EACH for His Kingdom!
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With Eyes on the Cross 