How often do you feel honored for serving as a volunteer at church? Once in a while you might get a thank you, or some recognition, but most often you’re doing the work, plugging away, dealing with drama, and it seems like nobody appreciates it, nobody honors it.
Then remember: This is God’s church, and everybody is honored. Everybody is important. Everybody is needed. Everybody has a place and purpose. What’s yours?
“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!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor” (1 Corinthians 12:21-23).
Do this. Put your hands up in front of you—do this now—then clap your hands together. Clap!! Good job.
Did your hands feel each other? Did your ears hear the clapping sound? Did your eyes see your hands clap? Yes! So, your hands are connected to your ears connected to your eyes. All your body parts are connected to each other.
What is your place in God’s church? You are connected to others, “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” (1 Corinthians 12:25,26).
No division in a church? Can you imagine that? It’s true. But only when? When the parts or individual people “have equal concern for each other.” Equal to what? Equal to others’ concern? No, that’s not enough. Equal to God’s concern. And what is God’s concern?
He has connected you to Jesus Christ by death and resurrection. He has designed you to succeed and flourish. He loves you unconditionally. Let’s be concerned about each other like God is concerned about us.
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27).
PRAYER: Jesus, I’m as glad to serve you and others at church as my hands are glad when I’m clapping. We’re all working together. Reconcile us when we fail each other and fall away from genuine understanding and love. Strengthen us to serve you and each other. Amen.
PRAYER: Use the P-R-A-Y acronym to say a prayer about others and you serving at your church:
- Praise
- Repent
- Ask
- Yield