Who Is The Body of Christ?

1 Corinthians 12:22-26

…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.  And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment.  But God has combined the members of the body and given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that it’s 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.

Who are those that are lacking?  Who are those who feel less honorable?

Are there whose who suffer from low self-esteem?  How does the body treat them?  Are they honored and buoyed up?  Are they helped by being a member of the body?

Are there those who suffer from addictions?  Are they encouraged and included?  Is a brother/sister who suffers with addictions not a brother/sister?

Are there those who suffer from mental illness?  Are they understood and welcomed, given special honor?

Those who are awkward, different, maybe even embarrassing, are they honored?

Those who are the weak, the unpresentable, are they less honorable?  Are they a part of the body of Christ?  Do we show them special honor? Loving welcome?  Inclusion?

Do weaker members feel that they are honored, or do they feel tolerated?  They may place themselves on the outskirts of the body.  Are they drawn in?

We empathize  with our body parts that are injured.  “Oh!  My poor thumb!” we say when we hit it with a hammer.  “Oh!  My poor toe!”  We say when we stub it.  We feel bad because we have injured one part, but our whole body knows the pain. Our whole body waits eagerly for the healing to be complete.

This needs to be the understanding of each individual within the body of Christ.  When one suffers, we all suffer, and he who is weakest has special honor.