INDISPENSABLE!…December 14th
INDISPENSABLE!
The church was treated to a wonderful Lessons and Carols performance by the choir! Even our hand bell ensemble played throughout. Way to go! The story of Christ’s birth was told through music, but also read from scripture. It was absolutely gorgeous. Then at the end they sang theHallelujah Chorus. It had people wanting to shout out loud, “Lord of Lords and King of Kings!”
However, you might not have noticed, but I really was in a daze the second service. I had a really emotional week and it wasn’t over yet. It kinda hit me all at once. Of course it had to hit me during my speaking and playing parts. I got the prayer out of place…no big deal. Then I forgot the advent wreath prayer…sat down and looked up and saw Lynn whispering, “Pray!” So I prayed. Then I sat down again, only to feel the entire choir looking at me (which they were), because I was supposed to play in the next musical piece. Now that all happened in five minutes!
Then I remembered this scripture…
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 1 Corinthians 12:21-25
You see I was indispensable! I was an integral part of the service, although a very small part. Yet, they could not go on without me. I wonder if we view our businesses, churches and families like that.
Often when we work closely with people strife and division happen when people value what they are doing more than another. When we do that we begin to feel that people are dispensable. We tend to just say I have no use for you, because I am more important. Jesus tells us we are allvaluable…an integral part of the Body. Instead of saying, “I have no need of you” we should be honoring and loving all.
I want to tell you this now…YOU ARE INDISPENSABLE TOO! Have you ever had someone say to you, “I have no need of you!” For whatever reason people are going to not like certain things about you. They will try to change you. If it happens to you just pray for them. They desire only to see the rich diversity of God’s creation as just an “eye” or a “foot.” They just want everything to look like them. Whatever you do, keep being the person God created you to be and keep moving forward. You don’t need to be held back by small thinkers.
I thank God we have a diverse church with all kinds of people. We have different ministries and different ways we worship. We have rich and poor, young and old. But the beautiful thing is that we all make up the Body of Christ. We are all indispensable. So today remember how important you are to the Kingdom of God. In that same breath remember how important others are too!
Have a blessed day!
Love you all,
Rev. Jim
