If We Are The Body......

Casting Crowns.  Have you heard the song?  Press play.  Listen for a minute; and then read.




God has been speaking more and more to me this phrase "You're a PART of the body."  Just a part of it.  It's one of those  things that I hear Him say, and I get EXCITED!!!   I'm different.  So different, in fact, that after taking a detailed personality test, it seems that I am one out of 3-5% in our population that has this type of personality.   Whoo Hoooo!!!  I'm weird... and it's because God TOTALLY made me this way.  Uh-huh.  That's right.  OH-YEAH!  (My favorite phrase "Jesus Loves Weirdos"_

I've been reading this book- and I can't help but have this sense of "YAAAAY!!!!" after studying it, and grasping this concept that my personality is rare, but not abnormal.  I'm unique, and it's for a PURPOSE.
This book- it separates the population into 4 Temperaments, branching each of those four temperaments out into 16 total personality types.  Whew.  I'm not smart enough to figure all that out.

What I am, though- is analytical.

4 Temperaments.
4 basic portions of the body.  (The head.  The arms. The legs. The torso.)
4x4 = 16.  Tah-Dah.

I'm thinking about it- and I'm like getting this serious brain freeze because there's too much information to soak in, and I don't have the capacity to hold it.

The head: Has eyes to see, Ears to hear.  A mouth to speak.  And a brain to think.  
Do you see the example?  One of the FOUR basic parts of the body; has 4 basic functions (usable in reference to the Body of Christ)

Ok.  Really?  I can't go on.  I'm just jabbering and talking about stuff I am not that certain of.  I'm just trying to make a point (to myself).  God made us different.  And inside our differences, we're different...  (Ouch.  My head is throbbing.  This is some deeeep stuff!)

We.  Are. The. Body.  We not only have different functions, but we have different abilities within our different functionality.   Golly-Gee-Whiz.  This is amazing!

Why then, if it's so obvious that The Body of Christ was designed to be different, with different functions (I'm feeling a bit repetitious) is it that the Body (The Church) has such a hard time EMBRACING one another's uniqueness.  

Before defenses start rising, and thoughts lean toward "No. But?  I embrace differences....." let me give some examples.  Ahem.  Baptist. Methodist. Pentocostle.....  Bluejeans, Suit and Tie, Knee-Length Skirts.  Long hair, short hair, Gucci shoes or Jesus sandals?   Even the standards of a denomination and  how the people in the church look can wreak havoc on the operation of The Body.  It's simplistic, but who can't admit to the reality of the example?  (Not me.)

But? What about the real issues.  Should the church focus on Evangelism? Teaching? Prophesy?  Preaching? Worship?  Is it normal to speak in tongues, heal, discern spirits......?  Should we give our money? Should we be showing mercy, and sharing knowledge? I don't know about anyone else, but my vote is YES.  All of the above.  'Cause it's called THE BODY OF CHRIST.  Not a "portion" of Christ.    Isn't the Bible clear? (Romans 12:6-8, Ephesians 4:11, 1 Corinthians 12:1-14)  It's all relevant.

There are church denominations that don't "believe" in speaking in tongues .  I've been witness to churches that require you to speak in tongues if you're "really actually spirit-filled".  There are churches that take on the belief that those that are Christians are part of the "elect" and that those that aren't "elected" just have to- well?- for lack of a better phrase... Burn In Hell ('What's up Calvin? There's some verse in the Bible that says something like The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise^(B) as some count slowness, but^(C) is patient toward you,^[a](D) not wishing that any should perish, but^(E) that all should reach repentance.)  (I apologize for that soap box moment.)


If you say Shit,Damn, or Hell!!!  you're probably not really saved.  Someone just peed their pants reading that. (Oh, Lord.  Save her.  She's swearing....)  (P.S. I know this really awesome Spirit-Filled chick that, to make a point in conversation- will throw out a swear word here and there.  I can't question her love for the Lord.  It's evident.)

But how quick are we to JUDGE those that aren't "like" us.  How fast are we to force our convictions on someone else?  I don't want to just be a part of the "head" or the "feet".  I want to be a part of the WHOLE. ENTIRE. BODY.  I want to operate inside of my function; whatever that may be.  (Knowing how far I have to travel to even come close to righteousness, I'm guessing I'm just ear-wax right now.... but guess what? EAR WAX has a purpose.  What's up!!)  

Ok.  Seriously.  God is huge.  HUGE.  He won't fit into our personal "box".  Whatever box it is that we try to put Christianity standards into- it seems- we're as well, putting a BIG-GOD inside a Small Box.

We all have a purpose.  All. Of. Us.  But? I think we so quickly get discouraged putting so much effort into defending who we are inside OURSELF, that eventually, we decide to try to "cut off our square edges to fit into society's circle".  

Who are we?

We are the body.