Care For One Another

     "That there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care one for another."  1 Cor. 12:25.  Paul uses the human body as an analogy of the body of Christ.  Just as the body has many parts, so the body of Christ is made up of many different parts, with many various gifts and abilities.  The members of Christ's body, though very different, are all part of the same body, and all belong to Christ, who is the head. 
     The human body looks after itself, and protects itself.  It cares about every part and does not want any part to be hurt or injured.  Pain that is felt in one part of the body affects the overall function of the whole body.  There are no parts that the body is willing to do without.  It does not want to sacrifice any part.  It will protect itself and fight to survive and save every part.  If you've ever been in some kind of a shooting game, like paint ball, you know that getting hit can really sting.  You don't want to get hit anywhere!  It is not okay with you to get hit in any place on your body.  The whole body looks after itself, and cares for itself.  It is like stubbing your toe, or hitting the wrong nail with a hammer, the pain of that moment goes through your whole body, and you are unable to function for awhile until you get some relief from that pain.  It is the care for the body that makes the body function. 
     We are connected as the body of Christ by the care that we have for one another.  We are connected when we feel valued, when we feel seen, when we feel heard, and when we feel understood.  Our true value comes from Christ, as we come to know Him, and what He has done for us.  The body of Christ is to have the same care one for another.  This love is what connects us, and is a testimony to the world that we are Christ's.  Sometimes things happen that cause a disconnection in our relationships.  When this happens in marriage, we must fight for our marriages by reconnecting.  We cannot allow something to disconnect us, and cause feelings of hurt and pain to grow.  We need  life giving relationships that flow one to another for healthy and growing marriages.  In the body of Christ we must be committed to one another to grow together, and give the time, attention, and understanding needed for our relationships to flourish. 
     There has to be a connection for our phones to work, and for our electrical devices to work.  When our furnace wasn't working, and we got it fixed, the sound of that furnace was so good to hear.  The connection had been restored!  So it is in our relationships with one another.  The connection we have through Christ is a precious gift that we protect and value, just as the human body values every part, and is unwilling to do without any one part.  The gift of salvation is free, but maturity will cost you something!  Maturing in Christ and growing into everything God wants you to be will take commitment, time, attention, and being connected to other people.  God uses people to form people!  I need people in my life in order to grow and become all God wants me to be.