Reading for Thursday: 1 Corinthians 12
Like many states right now, the government in my state has decided that during the Coronavirus crisis, only “essential” businesses can remain open. Only “essential” employees should go to work and everyone else should stay home. I couldn’t help but notice from this chapter, that in the Kingdom of God, there is no division of essential vs nonessential roles or workers. Every single one of us is considered “essential” to God.
Why are we “essential”? Because we are the workers through which His Spirit operates in the world. He equips each of us with spiritual gifts but it is His Spirit that is the One at work. Why does He empower you and I with these spiritual gifts? Certainly not for our sole benefit or glory, but rather for the benefit of the common good.
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (v4-7)
We are given different gifts but each member of God’s kingdom is as essential as another. Perhaps you doubt that you matter but God says that whatever your role, you are meant to be a vital member of the body of Christ. He gives us a practical analogy.
“For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?” (14-17)
I am a health care worker at a hospital, therefore I have been deemed an “essential” worker during this crisis. Normally, I would only work in my usual role as a Physical Therapist. But, because these are not “normal” circumstances, I have had the unique opportunity to act in other roles within the hospital. Some days I am a PT but other days I have worked with “environmental services” cleaning rooms and scrubbing toilets, or I have manned entrances taking temperatures of employees and visitors, or I have assisted the seamstresses in making thousands of PPE items or I have cross- trained as a nursing assistant. I’ve been granted the unique opportunity to experience various roles in the hospital and to learn how important each one is to the greater good of the hospital. It’s truly been humbling and eye opening. I have learned to appreciate these varying roles. So too, should we value that each of our Christian brothers and sisters have contributions to make and we are part of a team that should support one another “.....that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (24-26)
I hope that these far from “ normal” circumstances that we find ourselves in remind us that even though we are socially distancing from each other, we still have spiritual unity because we still belong to the body of Christ. We can use this “alone time” to continue to build our individual relationships with Christ and we can also reach out to others to extend encouragement and hope, and to continue letting others know that they are loved and valued by God. We may not meet together in the same physical place but we still are united in prayer and compassion for the world. Ask God to show you how He wants to use you and your gifts that He has empowered you with to serve the common good even in such unusual times. God says that even now, you are “essential” in His eyes!
“Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” (v27)