One body

A Devotional by Carl Ricketts, Jr.

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.  —Romans 12:4-5

I pray that the weight of these words is delicate enough to touch your heart, heavy enough to activate your conscience, and solemn enough to fill your soul.

Greater than the management of diversity is the experience of diversity.

Each part of the human body has a unique purpose. When each part of the body performs its function, it can be said that the body is able. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), with an impairment, such as the body being injured, hurt, or restricted, it becomes difficult for the body to be active, resulting in participation restrictions in the world around it. This impairment and resulting difficulty are defined as a disability.

The Apostle Paul has just completed grading the midterm examinations on the mercies of God and transitions his curriculum from an emphasis on the theology of condemnation, justification, sanctification, and glorification (summarized as the mercies of God) to a focus on living practically, the theology that is now known internally. Paul speaks in a sacrificial language, “I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you.^” The Greek word paristemi, translated: as to present, to give, to stand near, evokes the language of sacrifice, highlighting the ideal of wholeness that is realized when we are emptied of ourselves in close relationship to a Holy God.

Now that we are close to God, the early church leader warns each believer against copying the customs of the world by encouraging them to let God renew their thinking (Romans 12:2). He also admonishes them to not think of themselves as better than they really are, thus allowing the faith of God to be the objective standard (Romans 12:3). In his teaching on practical Christian living, he brings each believer into a community. Although this community is diverse, the essential point is that this community is to be unified.

Unity does not mean uniformity, but it resonates with diversity.

Paul compares this community of Christians to the frame of our bodies, having many parts yet still one body. He says Christ’s body is the same: "we are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other (Romans 12:5).”

Unity does not mean superiority, but it resonates with humility.

Notice that although the body consists of many (polus in Greek), it is summarized as one (heis in Greek) body. Paul then states that we all belong to each other. No one is greater or less important than the other in this body. There are no big I’s and little you’s in the body of Christ. This unity recognizes that God is the head (Ephesians 1:22-23) and that we are all gifted and equal in the community of believers. The grace of humility allows us to remove the pride that often sabotages relationships. Moreover, this unity in Christ’s body is the standard to be experienced by each member, for we are created in His image.

Disability is experienced when the body is not meeting the standard of agreement with one another. In this condition, we cannot perform the basics such as walking, talking, and eating together. Therefore, we need help performing complex activities together, such as serving, ministering, and worshipping. Paul’s admonition to not copy the customs of this world should be a reminder that Christ is greater than culture and that if there are any disabilities in the body, it may be rooted in an inability to reciprocate virtues of a community like support, collaboration, empathy and compassion, safety, and security.

Yet, praise God. For where there may be a disability, God has the ability. He is still in control and connected to the body. The Lord can take our collection of diversity and present it as a masterpiece of unity. As the head, He sends giftings and instructions of love, joy, and peace to each body member, wooing an agreement that can only come by His Spirit. His presence is healing the injured and the hurt and providing relief for those in need of belonging.

God is able.

—Carl Ricketts Jr., MDiv, BCC, is director of Chaplain Services for Loma Linda University Medical Center.