Diversity: Flourishing As One BodySample

One body, many parts

As human beings, we’re really good at comparing ourselves with others, whether by putting ourselves in a positive light or a negative one. This is true even—and sometimes especially—when it comes to the Church. “Why aren’t we seeing the kind of fruit they do?” “I would be so much more useful if I preached / built relationships / sang like them.” “At least we don’t have those kinds of problems in our church.”

But in today’s passage, Paul warns against this danger, using one of the most beautiful metaphors in the Bible: the body of Christ. “If the whole body were an eye,” he asks, “where would the sense of hearing be?” (verse 17). Paul writes these words while discussing spiritual gifts, which the Spirit distributes “just as he determines” (verse 11). In other words, we again see a God of diversity, a God who uniquely creates each of us with a specific set of gifts, passions, and experiences.

We may laugh at the foolishness of a body made up entirely of eyes, but how often do we act this way when it comes to the Church? We pray with longing for God to make us into an eye. We read books about seeing. We offer to act as an eye for a day. We are convinced that the Church would be better served if we could only be an eye, ignoring the fact that God has specifically created us to be an ear. In doing so, we harm ourselves, downplaying the gifts God has given us, and we harm the Church, depriving it of the gifts we have to offer.

To be sure, there is room to learn and grow in new skills, and there are times when we’ll serve in a certain role because that’s simply what’s needed. But the beauty of the body of Christ is not only that we serve as His hands and feet on Earth—it’s also that God gives each of us specific roles in that body. We are diversely gifted and skilled, and everyone gets to contribute. That is something to celebrate.

Reflection: What are the gifts and passions God has given me? Am I serving in ways that use those gifts? What are some of the gifts and passions I see in those around me? Take time to affirm others in their gifts.