by Victoria Heinecke

Every part of the body is important.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.”
1 Corinthians 12:18 English Standard Version (ESV)

Have you ever called yourself a Big Toe in the Body of Christ? It’s an allusion to the notion that one body part can be more important than another, or that one part is less useful than another. In a self-deprecating fashion we might be tempted to refer to ourselves as a toe, instead of an eye or a hand or a brain.

Yet, toes are important. Ask someone who has lost a toe or two to frostbite, and they will tell you.

Toes keep the human body in balance. They provide stability when standing or walking, and they assist in thrust when running. Without them, it’s difficult to maintain balance when standing on one’s toes. When toes lose their range of motion and become stiff, walking can be difficult, and even painful.

“If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.”
1 Corinthians 12:19-20 English Standard Version (ESV)

It doesn’t matter what part of the Body we are. We all have unique gifts to share with the Body, and with those we encounter.

When our toes perform their function according to their gifts, the body is blessed with stability and movement. When they kick someone or something, they’re not kind. Moreover, they tarnish the integrity of the rest of the body.

“But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.”
1 Corinthians 12:24a-25 English Standard Version (ESV)

Whatever our role in the Body, let us remember to be kind and compassionate. Our most powerful testimony to Christ is what we do when the worship service has ended.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado