The Body of Christ
The basis of the Christian community is not the family tie, or social or economic equality, or shared oppression or complaint, or mutual attraction, but the divine call. The Christian community is not the result of human efforts. God has made us into his people by calling us out of “Egypt” to the “New Land,” out of the desert to fertile ground, out of slavery to freedom, out of our sin to salvation, out of captivity to liberation. All these words and images give expression to the fact that the initiative belongs to God and that he is the source of our new life together.
—Henri J. M. Nouwen,
Reaching Out
1 Corinthians 12:12-27 is one of the clearest passages in all of Scripture on how the body of Christ is formed. Paul uses the image of the human body to illustrate the unity and diversity within the body of Christ. Its key is found in verse 24, which concludes: “But God has put together all the parts of the body,” meaning He sovereignly arranges and equips His people as He sees fit. This truth calls us to embrace both humility and gratitude. Rather than comparing ourselves to others or desiring different roles, we should trust God’s perfect placement. When we honor and care for one another, recognizing that God Himself has assembled us together, the body of Christ functions in harmony. No one is unnecessary, and no task is too small. May we rest in the assurance that our place in the body is divinely appointed and seek to serve with joy, knowing that God’s purpose is unfolding through us all. —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics