If we are a body
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Some thoughts on the metaphor of the body.Why is it so difficult for us, living in this western society, to see ourselves and others as a body? And if we do see ourselves that way, why is it so difficult to put that perspective into meaningful action?
The picture of a body just keeps coming back to me. It can be applied to all sorts of institutions and groups such as the church. I don't think we should stop there though. Why not expand our 'body' to include not just one local body of believers but many, or even all? And why does it have to be a metaphor for the church and not all 6 billion people on this planet? I feel that it is so important to erase or, at least, try to get beyond the lines that are drawn between people.
A body is a whole. It has many different and unique parts, and each has a unique use and purpose. No one part is perfect on its own but together all the parts make one 'perfect' whole. That whole has meaning. It can be useful and meaningful. Take one part away from the body and it is in pain. All the other parts suffer without that one part, no matter how small or imperfect it is.
See, the parts can't function properly on their own. They need the whole so that they can be used the way they were intended. I'd love to see the change that would happen in our world if each person would see themselves as just one part of a body, and their friends and even their enemies as other, equally important, parts. When you take the gifts and weaknesses, strengths and functions of all the parts and put them together, they help each other out and things work.
Like a mural, small pieces, when put together, make a larger beautiful masterpiece. Why can't we get this? We need each other. We need to appreciate difference and be accepting and embracing. Before we get beyond the 'us and them' or the 'every man for himself' way of thinking, we are never going to succeed as fully as we could together.
Relationship. I think that this may be what this whole thing boils down to.
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