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. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

1 Corinthians 12:24b-27 (ESV)

Have you ever had a word or a concept press on your heart in such a way that you just can’t shake it?

I’ve been experiencing that the past few days with the word “community”. The concept of community keeps popping up in sermons and songs and studies which tells me God is talking and I’d best be listening and sharing. I may spend the rest of the week on community, so we should probably begin at the beginning.

What is community?

Let me put my English teacher hat on for a minute:

The word community is formed of two Latin roots “com” and “munis”. The root “com” means “with or together” and “munis” has to do with performing services. In essence, the original meaning of community meant people who come together to “perform services” or to “do the things of life together”.

I happen to like that last definition quite a bit and so moving forward let’s think of community as “people who do life together”.

Now, let’s see what God has to say about doing life together by starting in 1 Corinthians 12:24b-27. In these verses Paul is speaking to the church at Corinth about what it means to be a member of the community of Christ – which is referred to throughout the New Testament as the “body”.

Specifically, Paul shares in verses 24b and 25 that:

“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.“

As I think about what it means to be part of a community of Christians – the body of Christ, I first must focus on the fact that “God has put the body together” (v. 24). This reminds me that the Christian Brothers and Sisters I do life with have been placed in my life and I have been placed in their lives by God Himself. Because I know that God has a perfect plan and purpose for all things (Isaiah 46:10) , I know that God has a reason for placing us in a position to do life together.

Now, when it comes to some of my Christian Siblings, this truth is not only easy to accept, it is celebrated and appreciated because they have such a positive impact on my life. For others though, well, for others, I have not been so quick to thank God for their placement in my life and they have perhaps not been quick to thank God for my placement in theirs.

Even as Christians, sometimes community is difficult because we have different ideas about how to do life. Though we are redeemed by the blood of Christ, making us part of the body, we also still wrestle with sin, with pride and selfishness and all manner of attitudes and actions that make it a challenge to do life together well (Romans 7:14-25).

Though it is difficult at times, God reminds us that doing life together well is worth it for the members of the body, the community of Christ.

Let’s take some time today to reflect on God’s placement of Brothers and Sisters in our lives, in the composition of the community He has placed us in. Tomorrow, we’ll explore how to do life well together.

Father God, thank You for the body of Christ, for Christian Brothers and Sisters to do life with me. Help me remember Lord that You are the One who puts the body together and that You know best how to build a community because You Lord work in perfect unity as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Forgive me when I am less than thankful about the placement of a Sibling in my life. Teach me to be a member of the body for whom others are thankful to have in their lives. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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