1 Corinthians 12:12-26

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one
body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form
one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one
Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
 15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the
body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear
should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for
that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where
would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the
sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one
of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would
the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to
the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem
to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable
we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with
special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But
God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25
so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal
concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part
is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Meditation
1. Paul used the image of the body to explain our relation to one another.  We’re
all parts of the body of Christ.  Whoever you are or whatever your spiritual
gifts are, you are “indispensable” (v22) to the others in your church, and in
the church.
2. What is my reaction when some other Christian gets recognition and honour?
Or when someone is suffering?  Do I rejoice with those who rejoice, weep
with those who weep (Rm 12:15)? Or am I jealous of those who rejoice and
apathetic to the weeping?

Personal Note:
Everyone who has received Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and saviour is part of the body of Christ.  Each believer is gifted differently according to God's grace.  When other Christians rejoices, we rejoices with them.  When other Christians suffer, we weep and suffer with them.