This morning I am a living testimony to what I am going to share. Not that I want to be because this morning’s teaching is painful.
I stepped out the back door to let Glory out, took two steps and ouch! I thought I had stepped on a small rock so I bent down to brush it away. Not a rock – a cactus thorn of some sort and all I did was break the head off it. The thorn is still there.
I came back in, got Glory her food and sat down to try and pull out the thorn. My nails are too short and the thorn is too deep. I had to walk around on my tip toes to keep the pressure off the area. Yes, I have tweezers but they are in my bathroom and I would have to wake Dave to get them. Beside that, I’m not as limber as I used to be so getting my foot into a position where I can see the thorn well is a bit difficult.
My body encouraged me to sit down, put my foot up and wait. Wait for Dave to come to my aid. I’m listening to my body!
The Apostle Paul tells us about helping our body when it hurts.
“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.
14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”
22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.” I Corinthians 12:12-27 NLV
We, as Christians, should be listening to our body. We are all one body just as these verses say. We should be taking care of one another. Helping out the parts that hurt. Jesus said that the world would know we are Christians by our love for one another.
I’m concerned that many times what the world sees is bickering and fighting; animosity, gossip and amputation have infiltrated our actions. It shouldn’t be this way. These things limit our mobility, our effectiveness, our usefulness. We are to be Christ to the world. We are to let Him live through us.
Are you hurting today? Have you asked for help? My heel “screams” for help each time I put weight on it. I’m going to get help as soon as Dave gets up. I’m not going to be proud and say nothing’s wrong, I can do it myself. I can’t. Neither can you – ask for help, ask for prayer. Let others come along and be your strength and healing.
And then look for the hurting. Don’t cause more damage by being hard hearted or gossiping. Do what you can to lighten someone’s load, to bring healing and not criticism.
Be aware, be involved. Be Jesus!