JUST DO YOU! Part 2

“If the foot shall say,
Because I am not the hand,
I am not of the body;
is it therefore not of the body?”
I Corinthians 12:15
King James Version

Each part of the body has a significant role in the growth, health and development of the body. As each part is connected to the Head, which is Christ, He holds every part together with strong bands. The Body grows from the nourishment that comes from God.
In the human body, although each part has a unique and special work, all parts are interdependent on the other for growth. For instance, the lungs do not function as the heart and the heart does not function as the lungs. Yet, the heart and lungs work together to clean the body of wastes and to get oxygen to the cells. Each time you breathe in, the blood in your lungs gets fresh oxygen. This blood then travels to the heart, which pumps it to other parts of the body.
The Apostle Paul uses the human body to show how the body of Christ should function. What if the foot says, “I want to be the hand and I want to function as the hand. Since I can’t, I am no longer part of the body.” That is nonsense! What happens when the foot does not function as it should? The body suffers. What happens if the foot is disconnected from the body? It dies. The problem is the foot does not see its significance to the body and the vital role it plays for the body’s mobility. The foot cannot live dependant of the body and the body cannot function properly without the foot.
In the body of Christ, what happens when a part of the body is not cognizant of or realize its significance to the body? The entire body suffers and that part begins to either malfunction or cause dysfunction! It could also cause other parts of the body to compensate and work harder to keep the body functioning.
It is vitally important for each believer to know their role and function in the body of Christ. Your role and function can only be determined through study of the Word, prayer and seeking the Lord. Not only that, but each believer must be content with the where the Lord has set them in the body. Remember, “God has placed and arranged the limbs and organs in the body, each of them, just as He wished and saw fit and with the best adaptation” (I Corinthians 12:18). God makes the choice, not the individual.
Just as it takes many different parts for the human body to function properly, so it is with the body of Christ. We do not all have the same role or function. Nevertheless, that does diminish our significance and worth to the whole of the body. The body requires this diversity to bring harmony. There is no need for jealousy, envy, competition, inferiority or intimidation because every joint supplies what is needed (Ephesians 4:16). When each part supplies the body edifies itself in love. Know your role and just do you!