Unseen But Not Unimportant

As I am preparing today’s thought part of me feels as if I have covered this topic in the past. While the other part of me says it’s just a result of me having thought about our subject for so long. But as the title suggests, I am going over an important issue which is a person’s value in the church. When the apostle Paul speaks of the body of Christ meaning the collection of Christians who make up the church he makes clear to us that there are many parts of it that are all equally important. Read 1st Corinthians chapter 12 verses 12 through 31 for the full scoop but I want to say my highlighted verses for today are verses 18-25. 

“But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.”

(1st Corinthians 12:18-25 NIV Bible)

For the past few years I’ve been keeping journals for Bible studies, personal prayer times, and sermon notes. I mention this because I’ve been going through them with the mindset that the notes I’ve taken are not only for my growth but for being able to share them with others. And this little subject about knowing our place in church was something I made notes on in July of 2019.

Looking back on it now I noticed that I also had in addition to notes a question worth thinking through. Why are people not content with their place in both church and life in general? 

Now that some time has passed since then and I’ve gone through some life changes I think I am able to better answer that question than if I had simply written one down when I first asked the question. I also had a second question in my notes that coincided with the first and so I’m going to answer both of them here. This is what my second question was. Why do people not feel content, and how does the physical body coincide with the Body of Christ?

Before we can answer that question, or any question for that matter, we need to know what exactly is being asked. The first question is why do people not feel content and the second one is about the parallel between the body of Christ and the physical body. 

I am willing to bet that if you read or listened to “Thoughts on Absolutes” then you know what is going to be our next step for question one. Now say it with me, class. We look up the definition of a word. 

Contentment according to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary is an adjective that is synonymous with being satisfied. Satisfied means to be pleased with what has been done or experienced in addition to meaning having been paid in full. The third definition that we are given is being persuaded in an argument. Synonyms include to be happy, joyful, gratified and pleased. Among a few other synonyms that continue to help us understand the word.

My question then can be rephrased as; why do people not feel satisfied with their place in life or in the church? And I think that my second question helps us find the answer to it. Reading our segment from 1st Corinthians again we see that there is a tight connection between the body of Christ and the physical body. Showing us how if one part of the body thought the other wasn’t important because they were not something else then a certain job couldn’t be performed. 

The more visible ones such as hands and feet are easy to recognize and understand but we don’t die from losing a hand or a foot. We can survive without one. But if something were to happen to one of our “unseen members” like say a kidney then we wouldn’t be able to filter out toxins from our body. 

The easily visible members of a church are the pastors, Sunday school teachers, homegroup leaders, worship team, and the board members. I may have missed some other positions in this short list but it makes my point. A lot of us who don’t fit into any of those categories can easily come to wonder what even is our place? I understand that feeling. I’ve been at my new church for roughly a year and I’m still trying to figure those specific details out. For those of us who are not in one of those places the answer is that we need to grow in understanding of scriptures for the purpose of helping others grow as well when the opportunity presents itself. 

Many bible studies have periods for you to speak about what’s been revealed by the Holy Spirit to you as you delved deep into your segment and cross referenced with other verses on your own between the classes. Those times are for you to both listen to others and to share what God has given. I have been part of many churches that make small group bible studies their priority and here is what I’ve seen. As people grow in those groups they eventually become equipped to the point where they are able to help equip others kingdom work. Primarily it’s in helping others to understand the scriptures and then apply it to their lives which is one of the most important jobs in the church.

Some of you might be asking me “isn’t that what a pastor does?” 

My answer to you is yes. A pastor’s job is to be the leader of a larger congregation than maybe 10 or so people in a bible study. Does this mean they are not supposed to lead bible studies? Of course not, there are many pastors who lead them and help others to lead them. What I am saying is that they have been called into a position that holds more burden than just leading a group of 10 people or so. Among many other things they have to lead the leaders of those bible studies and work as a higher up when the leaders need help dealing with issues.

If I wanted to, I could try to keep going and give more details but I think the best way to end this day’s thought is by asking you a question. Are you feeling discontentment or a restlessness that comes from part of you knowing that you could do more? 

I ask this because many of the people who feel discontentment feel it because they have part of them that wants more. And maybe it’s not so much that you want to receive more but maybe because you want to give more. Talking with your pastor and seeing where in the church you can volunteer is a good way to start. Ask them if there are any needs within the church which need to be met. Maybe God is guiding you to fill a need that others are oblivious to. 

My fiancé’s church had a situation where someone saw that the youth needed a way to apply what they had learned so they got involved with the community. She has told me many stories about the people who have been helped. For the youth who are part of the ministry the bible is coming alive to them and those who have received assistance from the church are feeling the true love of God for the first time in a long while. 

God gives the members of the church each their own set of gifts and that means we are all able to be operating in different areas. As we grow in our relationship with God He will activate those gifts and provide us with guidance for where we are to serve in our own church fellowship. 

I hope this was an encouragement to you all or as they say down here in Tennessee, I hope all y’all got some’in from this. If you’re listening to the podcast then I hope you laughed at my attempt of a southern accent but until next time, courage and Godspeed.