The Body of Christ

1 Corinthians 12:4-14

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. 12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by Or with; or in one Spirit into one body -- whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free -- and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.

27 You are the Body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." (NIV)

"Is the Stereo fixed already, Dad?" Asked Nathan. Dad smiled. "Try it." He suggested.  Nathan pressed down one of the buttons on the stereo, but all he heard was a loud bzzzzzz.  He tried another button. More of the buzzing sound. "Nope, its not fixed yet," he said, peering at the mass of coloured wires in the back of the set. It looks awful complicated back there."  "All it takes is some fine-tuning," said Dad. "Watch." After carefully connecting several wires, Dad looked at Nathan. "Try it now," he said. Nathan did and beautiful music began coming from the speakers.  "That was as easy as one-two-three!"exclaimed Nathan. "The wires just had to be properly connected,"said Dad as he put the back pannel in place. Picking up his tools, he added,"You know, Son, all these wires remind me of the Body of Christ. By ourselves, we all make some sound, something like that buzzing sound you heard. But its when we're together, in tune with one another and with God, that we make beautiful music."

When we read this story during our family devotions this week, I thought to myself: That's quite true. Church life seems awful complicated sometimes. Individually, when disconnected from Christ and from our brothers and sisters in Christ, we are a big mass of loose wires... maybe even colourful... but still loose wires, that make no harmonious music. It's only when we're collectively and properly connected to Christ that we make music that is glorifying to God.