(1 Corinthians 12:15-17) - Ministries

(1 Corinthians 12:15-17) "If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?"

I was a part of a church assembly once where I met a man who was quiet and unassuming. I never saw this man seek the spotlight on any church activity, but he would always be there in the background somewhere.

One night my wife and I went to the church to pray, and off in a corner of the prayer room was this man.............sitting quietly on a bench with his head down in prayer. I knew better than to disturb him while he was reaching out to the Lord so I never greeted him.

Over time I noticed that the church was getting a fresh coat of paint..............bit by bit the new paint replaced the old. I assumed the church had hired the work done until my wife and I were again at the church one evening, and we saw this man painting one of the walls.

I never spoke to him directly, but I came to admire that man because he recognized a ministry that needed to be done, and he offered himself to do it. This was a ministry that was just as valuable to me as other much more visible ministries..........teaching, preaching, writing devotionals.......and the way this man conducted himself in an unassuming way was another way he ministered to me that had great value.

And I think that's the point Brother Paul is making above to the church at Corinth. He's telling the church we all are part of the body, but we have different functions................and an "ear" can't be a "eye"...............a "foot" can't be a "hand".......but this does not lessen the importance of their functions to the Body as a whole.

I have a unique function to perform as a member of the Lord's body. And no matter what that ministry is, it is important to the Lord that I discharge it to the fullest.

What Paul is saying reminds me of this quiet man who never brought attention to himself and who did what he did in the Lord's Service because it was there to be done. I admire that brother for that................and he continues to minister to me in my thoughts by defining in my mind what it means to be a "servant" of my Lord.

May the Lord bless Him wherever he is right now.

Love in Jesus,

Jim

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"But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired." (1 Corinthians 12:18 NASB)

"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, Copyright 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission."

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This devotional was originally posted on CCI-Devo - Daily Group Devotionals on December 14, 2004 in post #720. It was written by Jim Ross, a former United Pentecostal Church member, who attends Christian Challenge International, the sponsor of the devotional group. The devotional is the copyright of Jim Ross and is reprinted on this site by permission.

Page added May 15, 2005

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