1 Corinthians 12:21-31

21 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!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 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, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
And yet I will show you the most excellent way.

Questions to consider:

• How are the activities of the body coordinated?
• What is the right attitude of a person with a less “spectacular” gift toward a person with a more “spectacular” gift? Vice versa?
• To what degree do you accept your place in Christ’s body?
• How important is each member of the church body?

Possibilities for prayer:

We are all members of the body of Christ. I think this analogy is a rather useful one in figuring out how we all fit together--a body just doesn’t function as well when some of the parts are missing, even if it’s one of the parts about which we don’t think as much. Today, let’s give God thanks for the gifts we’ve been given, and the role we play in our church body. Let’s also ask God to reveal to us gifts that we may not know we have, and continue to ask for those gifts that we desire to have.