One Body

"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten

that we belong to each other."
~ Mother Teresa

One Body
#churchunity

Today's post is reprinted from Shortybear's Place, the blog of my sister in Christ, Denise. She's faithfully followed my blog longer than anyone, has encouraged me when I questioned if I should keep writing it, and she stops in even when she isn't feeling well. Please pray for my sweet friend, who has planned for months to be at a blogger conference this weekend but is home with health problems. I love you, Denise!

Jimmy Durante, one of the truly great entertainers, was asked to do a show for World War II veterans. He told them he was very busy, but if they wouldn't mind his doing one short monologue, and immediately leaving for his next appointment, he'd come. They agreed.

But when Jimmy got on stage he went through the short monologue—then stayed, and stayed. Soon he'd been on stage 15, 20, then 30 minutes. Finally, he took a last bow, and left.

Backstage someone stopped him and said "I thought you had to go after a few minutes. What happened?" Jimmy answered, "You can see for yourself if you look on the front row."

In the front row were two veterans, each of whom had lost an arm in the war. One had lost his right arm, and the other had lost his left. Together, they were able to clap, and that's exactly what they were doing, loudly and cheerfully.

That's a picture of what's supposed to happen in church. To enjoy its benefits, you have to go, and when you get there, you must reach out to others, so that you can know, and be known. Pew-sitting, back-of-the-head fellowship, won't cut it! Someone sitting next to you, has 20/20 vision, where you have blind spots. You need their counsel, correction, comfort and fellowship. And they need yours. When that happens, the church is working like it's supposed to.

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
~ 1 Corinthians 12:12 (NIV)

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