The Intimacy of Community
August 14, 2019
This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:25-27 NLT
When you bang your finger, what’s the first thing that happens? Most likely, without thought your finger goes straight into your mouth to be comforted. When you hurt your leg, the other leg compensates. The body loves itself and all the parts of the body work together to provide relief and comfort when one part is in pain or sick. When your head hurts, everything suffers.
In the same way, if your stomach recovers from an illness, all of your body feels better. When your body exercises, it releases endorphins, and the endorphins go all through the body. They trigger a positive feeling in the body. For example, the feeling that follows a run or workout is often described as "euphoric." Those feelings often lead to a positive and energizing outlook on life. All of your body celebrates together.
This is the picture of what God intends for us in community. He says we are all parts of His body. The hands, the feet, the ears, the eyes, the muscles, the bones . . . every part of our physical bodies have different functions, and they are all necessary. In the same manner, we are all unique with different gifts and different functions. But we all need each other. Together we are all to care for one another and value each other.
There should be no jealousy among the body of Christ, but honest love and deep connection. When you hurt, I hurt. When one suffers, we all suffer together. When one wins, we all rejoice! We feel that a success for one of us is a success for all of us. Our sufferings are soothed and comforted when we share them together; our joys are exponentially multiplied when we are together. We are His body.
- When have you experienced comfort from the body of believers?
- When have you celebrated with believers?
- Attending baby and wedding showers, graduation parties, weddings, memorial
services . . . these are far more than simple social events among believers. These are all acts of “making for harmony among the members so that all the members care for each other.” This grows community. Make it a point to not consider these things as obligations or casual invitations but as your privilege as part of the body.