Not Taken For Granted

Read 1 Corinthians 12:14-26

But that isn't the way God has made us. He has made many parts for our bodies and has put each part just where he wants it. What a strange thing a body would be if it had only one part! So he has made many parts, but still there is only one body. 1 Corinthians 12: 18-20 (TLB)

Just as there are many parts to our bodies, so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of it, and it takes every one of us to make it complete, for we each have different work to do. So we belong to each other, and each needs all the others. Romans 12:4-5 (TLB)

Peter Caligiuri, from Florida, tends to take his little toe for granted. But not long ago Peter had a revelation about that toe's value when it met the leg of his kitchen table. First he heard a crack, and then he felt a pain that forced him to sit down for several minutes until his head cleared. At that moment, no other part of his body mattered; all Peter could focus on was his toe.

That broken toe affected every other part of his body for weeks. His morning walk changed to a morning hobble to the coffee pot. He traded his regular seat near the front of the church for the one nearest the door. Even getting his shoes on and off was a delicate task. Peter grew in appreciation for something he often takes for granted.

The same is sometimes true in the body of Christ. Maybe there are members of our church or even our family whom we take for granted. Maybe we have overlooked someone's value because we have focused too much on ourselves. But Jesus notices and values each member of his body. After all, Jesus loved each one of us so much that he gave his life for ours.

Prayer: Father God, help us to see and appreciate others the way Jesus did so that we can show your love to the world; in Jesus' name. Amen.