Our scripture this morning is Romans 12:3-8.
Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
We seem to be people of the extremes, dividing ourselves into groups – those who agree with our perspective and “others”. We see it around us in any number of issues. Paul reminds us that we are all part of the body of Christ and we are all necessary to the work for which He has called us.
Paul warns us not to “think you are better than you really are” which may cause us to go it alone, rather than to accept the plan God has for us. On the other end of the scale, some think less of themselves than they should and feeling worthless, fail to use the gifts we have been given. Either way, the work goes undone.
We read “We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other”, reminding us of the love God has for all His children and our obligation to follow Jesus and share the joy of the Good News. We must see everyone as a brother or sister in Christ, encouraging and valuing each one’s gift.
Gracious God, we are sorry for the divisions we create in the body of Christ. Bless us to be energetic disciples, using our gifts for the good of all. Amen.