Affirmation of Togetherness
Author: Pastor Claude Thomas
Paul makes a very important observation in 1 Corinthians 12 about our relationship in the human family and especially the family of faith.
He affirms we are interdependent on each other and not independent of each other… “And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’”(v,21).
Cooperative with each other and not competitive with each other… “there should be no division(schism) in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.”(v.25).
Individual parts make the whole but no part is the whole… “For in fact the body in not one member but many.”(v.14). And again, “If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?”(v. 17).
“Now you are the members of the body of Christ, and members individually.” (v.27).
We are individuals but we are together… supporting each other. God made us this way. Why?
1) Supporting each other fulfills an emotional need.
We have heard of the “phantom feeling.” When a person loses an arm or finger or toe, the feeling continues. It is just like the arm or finger or toe is still there.
When a person is missing from our circle of family or friends, we feel the loss of that person. It is like the table has been set, their place at the table is prepared and they are not there.
We need each other because God made us to be together!
2) Supporting each other fulfills a spiritual need.
Paul said it best. We are like the body.
Families get together and put a puzzle together. The pieces will be all over the table. They make no sense separated but when they begin to go together, it makes sense. It makes a beautiful picture.
So it is with us! The family is beautiful when all of us are together and supporting each other. And others will see it.
That is what Jesus prayed in John 17:21 when He said, “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that they world may believe that You sent Me.”
There is a spiritual impact to make on others when we are together!
Supporting each other fulfills a practical need.
We can do more together than alone. Consider the “team concept.” One or two stars on a team can contribute greatly to the team but they are not the team. It takes all working together to reach the full potential.
Let us affirm each other!
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