There are many biblical descriptions for the church. It is called the bride of Christ, the people of the Way, and a family.

It is also called the body of Christ. This is captured in 1 Corinthians 12:27: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”

A lot has been said about this verse. What I’d like to do today is draw your attention to the word “is.” “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you IS a part of it.”

Okay, sure, what’s your point?

The point is that a body has parts that either work well or don’t work well—and this impacts the system as a whole.

For example, if both of my arms are working well, my whole body benefits. But if one of my arms isn’t working well, that is going to negatively impact the rest of my body. Other parts of the body will have to compensate. 

In his book “Life Together,” Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes: “Every member serves the whole body to its health or to its destruction.”*

Do you see where I’m going with this?

If you are praying, serving, and consistently contributing, you are strengthening your local congregation. If not, you need to ask yourself some serious questions.

Having said that, I realize that there are times when we can’t be as involved as we’d like. Perhaps we are out-of-town, ill, or going through a difficult season of life. That’s understandable. We all need grace. I’ve been there too. We also need to acknowledge that we have different giftings and capabilities. Or perhaps you’re a new Christian and you’re just learning what it means to be a part of a community. God bless you; find a mentor, open the Bible, and let’s learn together.

But the point here is to think of yourself as a part of an actual body. Are we the body of Christ, or are we watching others be the body of Christ?

-Praying for others matters more than you know.
-Helping behind the scenes matters more than you know.
-Showing up matters more than you know.
-Following up with someone who is hurting matters more than you know.
-Talking to someone about Jesus matters more than you know.
-Being a role model matters more than you know.
-Being honest about your struggles matters more than you know.
-Singing for God’s glory matters more than you know.

You are a part of an actual body. Let’s build muscle together.

---

Notes:

–The Up Devotional is published 5 days a week (Monday-Friday) and returns on December 9, 2024.

–*Dietrich Bonhoeff, Life Together, trans. J.W. Doberstein (London: SCM Press, 1949), 68.

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.