Fingers and Toes

I Corinthians 12:14 – 26 states:
For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body [were] an eye, where [were] the hearing? If the whole [were] hearing, where [were] the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where [were] the body? But now [are they] many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those [members] of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely [parts] have more abundant comeliness. For our comely [parts] have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that [part] which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but [that] the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

Every parent can remember when they first held their newborn baby. Coupled with excitement and joy, there probably was an immediate inspection of the baby’s fingers and toes and every other part. As it was with me, I can well imagine each parent’s thankfulness and pleasure in viewing their beautiful baby in all of his/her perfection.

As my babies quickly grew, I remember conversations regarding which parent they looked like the most. Even though there was quite a transition into adulthood (my oldest daughter is 47, my youngest is 45), to this day people recognize they are my daughters. We have several physical likenesses, as well as personality and behavior styles. These “like” traits make it obvious that we are family.

And so it is with the Body of Christ. Sometimes we forget that we bring our Father much pleasure. Can you imagine the joy He felt when He walked and talked with His brand-new creation, Adam and Eve in the Garden? Even more so, it is His good pleasure seeing us now in Christ, especially as we walk in the truth of who we are. We were created to look like our God. We resemble Him best when we embrace His unconditional love for us. Through this love, others can see we are part of His family.

It was God’s plan to create a family for fellowship with Him and others. He purposely made each one of us unique, but part of the whole body. As the scripture above explains, we are all important. However, we can’t be the foot who “thinks” it doesn’t need a hand. Instead, we are to honor one another in word and deed. The body of Christ in unity, peace and love, one-toward-another speaks volumes to a hurting world.

The same dignity and worth that God gave us from the beginning of life is how we must view ourselves and others. Simply put, Christ is the Head and we are His body. Let’s be about honoring and loving one another, recognizing our part and esteeming others as precious “fingers and toes.”

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