If one
member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all
rejoice together with it.
You know the question – How old are you?
You got the answer – Old enough to know better.
At my age I should know better, but I don’t! I keep making the mistake of forgetting my
body needs water. When there’s a lot to
be done in the yard I will sometimes work the whole day without resting. Even in 90-degree temperatures, I will bury
myself in the task, neglecting my need for fluids. And without fail my body lets me know about
my foolishness…eventually!
Here’s the picture:
Russell is sitting comfortably after a much needed shower and meal. The TV is on, but Elizabeth cannot hear over
the snoring. The blissful moment of an unintended
nap is swallowed by a tsunami of pain in the left thigh muscle as Russell is suddenly
awakened and catapulted-out of the overstuffed chair by a tidal wave of leg
cramp. Yeeeow! Talk about the whole body
suffering with one of its members!
There are usually two kinds of reactions to what you
just read:
1. Oh,
get over it, sissy-boy; you brought that on yourself! If you had any sense you would’ve been drinking
enough water today.
2. Oh,
my poor, poor child; let me get the liniment – you sit here, while I get you another
piece of pie.
There are times when we need both reactions – but you KNOW which one we want!
Cramps in the Church
In the church we have a tendency to do both kinds of
reactions to the pain we see in others’ lives.
When we see some self-inflicted poverty or drama, we sometimes have that
knee-jerk judgment that smacks of told-you-so! Or worse, we just ignore the plight of our
brother or sister in Christ, as if it’s too bothersome for our attention. Judgment and ignoring; let them handle their
own mess!
There is also the other reaction – naïve over-kindness
that is willing to move heaven and earth to rescue anyone and everyone, no
matter the cost to life, limb or bank account.
Neither is Christ like!
Jesus never ignored people; he healed them, but He
always did so with accountability. There
was always a purpose with the power. To
the woman caught in adultery, he forgave without accusing (judging), but he did
say “…go, and sin no more”. To the leper
he healed; then he told him to show himself to the authorities (the
accountability of declaring “I was impure; Jesus made me clean”.). In every instance where Jesus helped someone,
he tied it to the community and living as a wholesome part of that community.
Jesus was showing us how to live as a body – not disconnected,
uninterested, autonomous body parts, dangling in our own agendas and
selfishness. And we are to be a strong
body – not willing to squander the power he has promised, but purposefully
using his name to overcome evil in this world.
Today…for you
Judgment theology?
More pie theology?
Or will it be strong body of
Christ theology today?
No comments:
Post a Comment