It’s not until we started our church 3 years ago I experienced what this word means: “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” 1 Cor. 12:26

This morning, I was reflecting back upon some of what the people shared during our service yesterday. And my heart was bubbling up in joy just remembering their testimonies. It has nothing to do with me and yet, I was so filled with joy just thinking about it. I believe I’m finally getting to feel the pain and joy along with our members. And it is a good thing.

But notice that 1 Cor. 12:26 is not a prescription (telling us what to do) but a description (telling us what is). It is saying that if one member suffers, all suffer together. Not, all SHOULD suffer together, but all DO suffer together. We may be so individualistic that we may not know or care if one member of our church is suffering, but spiritually, we are all connected in such a way that if one member suffers, all suffer together whether we know it or feel it or not.

It’s like your pancreas not functioning properly. You may not feel it or know it, but left unchecked, it will have a devastating effect on the whole body. The sooner we discover it and care for it, the better for other members of the body…

Can we be focused more on the body than the individual? Can we be more about the team goal than the individual stat?

Isn’t it so ironic that when it comes to sports, we think a person so selfish for going for his own stats rather than the team’s winning?

But when it comes to the body of Christ, we think it natural that the church should be sacrificed for the individuals…

Let’s not be worldly. Let’s not be Americans. Let’s be Christ followers. He sacrificed Himself for the body….

PH