You Are Needed

I Corinthians 12:12-27

Last week our reading in the book of I Corinthians discussed spiritual gifts, and we learned that everyone has been given at least one gift to use to help build up the Church.  Today we continue reading from I Corinthians, and we’ll look at what Paul has to say further on the topic. When you look around at other Christians do you ever feel like you just aren’t that important to the Church? Maybe you have no musical talents to serve in that ministry. Perhaps you are a quiet type, and aren’t gifted to teach or speak publicly. You might feel like your church could get along quite fine without you. Then there are those who feel just the opposite.  They feel that their gifts and abilities are spectacular, and the church would fall apart without them.

Let me share a story I read about an orchestra that had gathered to practice for an upcoming concert to be given.  All the instruments were summoned to practice. However the piccolo player decided to stay away, thinking he was just too insignificant to matter.  No one will notice, he thought. As practice got underway, a few minutes later the conductor motioned everyone to stop, and called out, “Where is the piccolo?  Get the piccolo player in here immediately!” You see, the conductor noticed that this instrument was missing. Every instrument is important, not just the violins and trombones. Everyone, including the piccolo and bassoon, is important.

This is the same message that Paul is giving the Corinthians, and to us today. Paul uses the analogy of the human body (vs. 12-24). Each part of the body is important.  Each has a specific job to do. The hand, the ear, and the eye are equally important. So also are the body parts that we don’t see, that we don’t think about very often. How often does one think about their gallbladder or pancreas, or think they are that important? However, just let either organ have a problem, and you sure start thinking they are important!  Each part of the body has a specific function that is necessary to the whole body. Each part is different for a purpose, and they must work together.

Each part of the Body of Christ is as important as the other.  The Church is composed of many types of people from different backgrounds, gifts, and abilities.  However, we are all part of the Body of Christ, and are one in Him. We all have, and should be working for the same goal, which is to spread the Gospel message, and bring praise and glory to God.  We need to use our different gifts together to spread the Gospel message of salvation.

Christians should not look down on those who seem unimportant, nor be jealous of those who have seemingly more important gifts. Would anyone really chop off a part of their body because they didn’t like it? Not likely. So also we should not reject anyone in the church, either (vs. 25).  Use the gifts and talents that you’ve been given, and encourage others to, as well.

How do we act when someone is honored?  Are we jealous or happy for them? How about when someone is weeping?  Are we apathetic or comforting? When one suffers in the Body of Christ we all suffer (vs. 26).  That is why Paul says in Romans 12:15 to rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. We all belong to each other, so we should desire and work for each other’s benefit, as if we are doing it for ourselves (Matthew 22:39).  When one part of our physical body is hurt or aching, our whole body notices, and we take whatever steps we can to make that one part feel better.  That is the way it should be among fellow Christians.

The human body needs eyes, heart, and gallbladder and pancreas. The orchestra needs violins, trombones, and piccolos and bassoons. The Church needs the musicians, and Sunday School teachers, along with the one who dusts the window sills, and the one who provides the pastor with a glass of water at the pulpit each Sunday.