Apples and Oranges

1 Cor 12:12-31 is the passage where Paul talks about "One Body, Many Parts". This sense of community has really hard lately. We are ONE BODY. No matter what part of the body we represent we all make up the body, one unit.
I was talking to one of my friends last night about this and she said that reading the Purpose Driven Life has confirmed what God placed within her a long time ago: we are supposed to treat everyone as an extension of ourselves because we are a community (Common-unity). We are supposed to handle others' lives with the same care and concern that we would handle our own. We are called to take care of each other so that none of us are without. This is what the church did in Acts 4:

"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had...There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need." (Acts 4:32, 34, 35)

Can you imagine what that would be like today if everyone shared to the point where there was no need among the members of the body of Christ? Is the Bible telling us today that we need to all the possessions we have? No. That is the way that the 1st century Christians chose to handle it. It is showing us what our connection looks like in the day to day life. 1 Cor 12:26 (Msg)  says, "If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt and in the healing." How many of us know someone in that is in need and we don't even think twice about it because it doesn't directly affect us? I know I do. But if I were to have the mentality that this passage talks about. This wouldn't happen. I'm not saying that we should be so bogged down and overwhelmed with the cares of others that we don't deal with our own lives. We need to do our part and address the issue in the spirit by praying. It's not all the time that we can do something practical but we can always do something in the spiritual for we are called to take part in the healing.
I am reminded of the movie My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding  when the father is giving his toast. He says,

 "You know the root of the word Miller is a Greek word. Miller come from the Greek word 'milo' which is mean 'apple' so there you go. As many of you know, our name, Portokalos, is come from the Greek word 'portokali' which mean orange...Here tonight we have ah, apple and orange. We all different, but in the end, we all fruit."

This is just the surface of how we are to view others. We need to make sure that we do not view one part or one person as more important than the other because at the end of the day, we are all fruit. Vs 24, 25(NIV) says,

"But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other."

None of us are more important than the other for God does not show favortism. If God Almighty doesn't show favortism then why should we? Does this mean we don't give certain people a heightened sense of honor? No. The Bible wants us to treat everyone with love and respect. We honor the title and the position of those that are in authority even if we don't necessarily agree with their behavior. No matter what they do, people deserve to be treated with respect because they are people. The latter part of vs 25 says that we should have equal concern for each other. No one is better and we as the body of Christ is should be the first ones to carry this out.

 John 13:34,35 says,

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Jesus is commanding us to love BELIEVERS in this passage. It is the love we show for each others as believers that draw non-believers to Christ. True love shows unity. True love exemplifies Christ. We are called to

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit throught the bond of peace. [For] There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to one hope when you were called" (Eph 4:3,4)

How can we do this? LOVE. This is why the chapter right after the passage on the body is the LOVE CHAPTER. It's Paul's way of adding the practical means to the spiritual concept.

So the next time we hear about missionaries being persecuted or kids dying of AIDS, the next time you see a commercial about World Vision, Compassion International, Habitat for Humanity, and any other organization that has made strides to help those who are an extension of themselves, don't disregard it as unimportant because it doesn't affect you. Pray that the work that is done is carried out to the fullest so that all may experience the level of humanness that you do.

So sad

This blog is inspired by all the newborn and not yet born babies that have come across my path. It breaks my heart to see that this society has little to no sense of restraint or self-control. Isn't it ironic that we promote sex in pretty much every aspect of this culture and yet we are surprised and devastated by its negative effects? What do we think is going to happen when we engage in "safe" and unsafe sexual activity? Why do we think that we are exempt or special or an exception to the rule? Too many times we think that when we play with fire we will not get burned. The Bible says "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows" (Gal 6:7) My version of that verse is, "Don't get it twisted and don't abuse His grace. God will not break the rules for you." The saddest part of this is that people interpret this Scripture to mean that God is punishing or attacking them for not following His standards when that is not the case at all. God is a God of His Word. When we engage in behavior that may have life long consequences, we extend an invitation to let bad things come into our lives. Just because there is not an immediate response doesn't mean that one is not coming. Every time we send out that invitation, we await an RSVP. Often times we get fooled into thinking that when nothing happens to us the first few times, it will not ever happen. We forget that the longer we continue to engage in that behavior, the wider we open the door of bad things into our lives.
I think of the story of the persistent widow in Luke 18. Normally this story is referenced to show what we should do when we want to ask something of the Father; but I think this can be applied to the negative as well. When we consistently allow ourselves to be worn down by the standards of this world, we eventually give in even if we don't want to just so we can be left alone. ( BTW- The state of wanting to be left alone is so dangerous because we will do anything to achieve that goal. Things we wouldn't normally do, we at least consider just to be left alone. We need to be mindful of this state when we feel it coming upon us and do our best to not give in.)
I also have an issue with how we treat the information when we are made aware of it. We must understand that in the instance of a child on the way, we celebrate the life but we do not celebrate the behavior. We do not condone the action but we also do not dwell on it. We address it and move on. The best example of this is Jesus in John 8 concerning the woman caught in adultery. He dealt with the judgmental Pharisees by showing them the sin in their own lives. And when they left He dealt with the woman in love saying that He doesn't judge her but she should not continue to live a life of sin. We need to model this. Jesus spoke the truth in love as we are called to do in Eph 4:15. It's difficult but it's not impossible "for nothing is impossible with God" (Lk 1:37).
As we face these issues let us remember to use Christ as the example of accountability and love. It's big shoes to fill but He will help us to fill them.