I Am Part of the Body of Christ, and I Have My Part to Play
I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, “Many hands make light work.”
We use it to stress that the more helpers there are, the faster a chore can get done and the easier it is because we share in the work. It’s true for the work of the Church, too. I don’t just mean the church,
St. John’s, I mean the Church, the kingdom of God.
When we realize that we are part of the kingdom of God and God has called us each to serve, it makes for lighter work because we can share the work of spreading the Gospel through preaching, teaching, preparing for services, telling people on the street or next door or at family gatherings, or even within our own homes.
It also makes for easier work in the kingdom of God when we all do our part because God has equipped us each with specific gifts or skills that make it more natural to do the work he’s prepared us for. When we don’t step in and do our parts, then others who aren’t so naturally inclined in certain areas have to step out of their roles to fill in the roles of others. It stretches people thin, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And it can make those doing all the work less willing or see the work as less pleasing, even if their hearts are fully set on wanting to serve their God and Church.
For this reason, I encourage you to consider the gifts God has given you and consider how you can use them to help share in the work of Christ. As you do, realize that the phrase, “Many hands make light work” kind of falls short in one aspect. If we were all hands, we would only be able to do so much. We need every part of the body working together to accomplish all that God has called us to do. We have different talents, different skills, different abilities that God has blessed us with to complement one another and work together as a whole, one body in Christ.
And as we do, we must realize that our gifts won’t and should not be the same. This comes with a couple temptations to watch out for. Some may think their skills give them cause to boast because they are able and willing to do so much and able to do what we might consider “more important tasks”. On the other hand, some may think their skills are less important or less significant and that they can’t do as much. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy or unimportance. But no matter our gifts, whether public or behind the scenes, what we would consider big or small, God has chosen each of us according to the gifts he has apportioned to us.
And no matter our gifts, we are blessed to be a part of the body of Christ, trusting in full and free forgiveness for sins. May God bless the work of our hands (and all other parts of the body) as we faithfully serve him in thankfulness for his gifts.
In Christian love, Pastor Wolf B. Parsons
Pastor Parsons Contact Info
Pastor Parsons’ cell phone number is 715-584-2912
Email: yourparsonparsons@gmail.com
Church Office: 507-643-6381
Home: 507-643-6840
Please be sure to let him know if anyone is hospitalized and needs a visit.
