Daily Devotion, November 8, 2020

 

Devotion: Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 26-27.

Paul was writing to a church in which there was division. These were followers of Jesus Christ in the house churches in the city of Corinth in the first century. But they were not united as his people. A significant portion of this letter (chapters 12-14) is given to one of the primary issues causing the division: spiritual gifts. As is the case in any church, the Holy Spirit had gifted each person with the various gifts of the Spirit to accomplish their mission. Apparently, there had developed among them a ranking of these gifts. Some were more important than others, they thought. Paul writes to dispel this divisiveness, using the analogy of the human body. All parts are needed for the body to function at its best. So it is in the Body of Christ, the Church.

Events and rhetoric of this year have threatened the unity of the Church. Too often, we hear or read statements that say you cannot be a part of the Church if you vote a certain way or interpret Scripture a certain way. But we need each other, to guide each other and learn from each other. Whereas Paul loved the analogy of the human body, I love the analogy of a bird. In order to fly, the bird needs both the right wing and the left wing. So does the Church.

The primary issue here is being united so that we can serve the mission God has given us through Jesus Christ. In the next chapter of this letter, Paul emphasizes that it is the sacrificial love Jesus taught us that is the key to staying united in the midst of our differences.

You are part of the Church. So are those other Christians. We are the Body of Christ. Personal Worship Option: Offer a prayer for Christians with whom you differ. Seek God’s wisdom for how to better unite with them in our mission to bring others to Christ.