Are You An Ankle?  (1 Corinthians 12)

One doesn't think much about their ankles.  It's such a small part of the body.  I never gave much thought to my ankles until I started having pains in them that would come for brief periods of time and go away just as quickly as they had arrived.  My whole body became aware of my ankles and in turn became concerned and supportive.  My legs had to take slower and more gentle steps.  My feet felt an extra burden and would become sore if my body stood for too long letting my brain know it was time rest.  My brain was continual monitoring the situation and working to come up with ways to help.  My hands had to dial numbers to doctors.  My voice had to speak to those doctors.  My whole body had to go with my ankles to those doctors to try and determine what was going on.  My body didn't cease to work, it didn't shut down but each part had a little more work to do in order to keep my body moving and to try and help my ankles.  My ankles appreciate everything my body has done to help.  It's been a few years since I first became aware of my ankles through the pain and after many many tests and different doctor visit there are no answers as to what is wrong and that is ok.  My body has adjusted and knows when to push my ankles a little bit and when to back off and give them the rest they need.  Just because they are struggling I don't have any plans to get rid of my ankles.  My body still needs them.

1 Corinthians 12 tells us that we are all a part of a body, the body of Christ, the body of believers. Some people are like the brain directing wisdom and knowledge to the rest of the body.  Some people are like hands and the mouth, actively doing or saying things to help others as well as to help the body as they were created to do.  Still others are like legs, moving the body in the direction it is called to go in.  And some are like ankles, small compared to other parts and often times not thought about much yet the support they give the body is often overlooked and not realized until they struggle to do their role as they usually do.

This passage in Corinthians instructs us in what I think are two thoughts.  First,- Don't think more or less of yourself based on what role you think or others think you serve in the body of Christ, in the church.  EVERY part has a significance that when used with all the other parts allows the body to work as it was designed.  When ANY one part of the body is hurting the entire body is affected and that leads to instruction #2 - we need to support each other no matter what.  It is so easy to be going along and doing our thing at church or in the community and to look at others with a critical eye and feel as if they aren't pulling their weight or doing what they should be.  We often times choose to judge and criticize (and sometimes gossip to other parts of the body) rather then find out what might be the issue and seeking to help.  We could be expecting something that person wasn't equipped to do or that person could be struggling (like my ankles) and need the rest of the body to come along side it and support it not condemn it.  Then when that person is restored let us rejoice, be thankful and celebrate with them.

So I want to encourage you today.  God has made you a part of his body, his church.  Whatever role you find yourself in seek to do your very best.  Don't look at others and wish you were them (we all have our own pains and struggles).  Be content and be your best for the Lord.  If you feel down, struggling, or hurting share it with others in the body so that you can have the support you need as you work (and as Christ works in you) to get back to where you need to be.  I also encourage each of us to look at each other as one body who needs to support, help and encourage each other where we each are.  What a beautiful image the church is when we think of it as one body working together, supporting and encouraging each other.

If my ankles are grateful for the support of my body when they are struggling how much more a member of Christ's body when we come along side them?  Let's really live as the humble body of Christ!