We are one body with many parts. We need each other. Richard Blackaby shares the following illustration to make the point: Suppose the eye could say to the body, “Let’s walk down these train tracks. The way is clear. Not a train in sight.” So the body starts down the tracks. Then the ear says, “I hear a whistle coming from behind us.” The eye argues, “But there’s nothing on the track as far as I can see. Let’s keep on walking.” Supposing the body listens only to the eye and keeps on walking. Soon the ear says, “That whistle is getting louder and closer!” Then the feet say, “I feel the vibrations of a train coming. We’d better get our body off these tracks!” Now, if the body is going to function as God intended it to what needs to happen? If this were your body, what would you do?
- Would you try to ignore the conflict between the body parts and hope it just goes away?
- Would you take a vote of all your body members, and let the majority rule?
- Would you trust your eyes and keep on walking because sight is an extremely important gift/sense?
No! You’d get off the train tracks. God gave our bodies many different senses and parts. When each part does its job, and when each part pays proper attention and respect to the others, then the whole body works the way it should. Similarly, the church functions best when all of its members are involved using their gifts.
Source: Richard Blackaby, Experiencing God, 2008 edition, Nashville Tennessee: B&H Publishing, p.201