By John Kwon, InterHigh Mentor, Junior @ UC Berkeley

Given that “God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be” (v.18), have I embraced my part in the body of Christ?

The whole chapter of 1 Corinthians 12 seems to revolve around the theme of unity among believers.  In the first portion of the text, Apostle Paul focuses on the distribution of spiritual gifts and how we should not envy others for their gifts.  Paul notes in verse 7 how the “manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”  The phrase, “common good,” implies a group of people and how our gifts are not simply just for ourselves, but rather for the benefit of others.  In the latter portion of the text, Paul compares the church to a human body, and specifically, to the body of Christ.  Paul points out how there are many parts to a body, each differing in their purposes, location on the body, and their function.  It is easy to fall into thinking how one part of the body may be more useful than another, but in essence, all of the parts must be present in order for the body to function as a whole.  Similarly, the church is composed of many members, each with different areas of expertise, specialties, talents, and gifts, as was mentioned in the first part of the text, and these members are reliant on one another in order for the church to operate properly.  It is also worthy to make note of the one similarity that binds all of the members of the church together in unity.  Even though the church is composed of many members, each with different gifts and backgrounds, there is a common similarity that runs through each of them, which is the same Spirit, the same Lord, and the same God (verses 4-6).  This is comparable to the blood that flows throughout a human body, giving life to all of its parts.  There is no part of the body that is dependent on a different type of blood.
Realizing this, I find it a great challenge to live my life according to this truth.  This is because I often find myself struggling with having to feel necessary and useful in areas of my life such as in school, especially when I am part of a group, and as well as in sports.  I realize that this mentality has also managed to creep into my approach towards church, and I am often subject to feelings of insignificance that arise in my heart.  This can usually lead to other feelings, such as envy and jealousy towards others I see having greater roles, and even indifference towards the church.  As I reflect on my heart, I realize that much of these feelings of insignificance and jealousy stem from my desire to glorify myself or to call attention to myself.  It is when I fail to see the much greater picture of the church working together to serve and worship God that I automatically shift to satisfying my own selfish desires.  The truth is that God has placed me in a specific church with the very specific responsibilities and duties that I have in order that I may fulfill my one part, small though it may be, to build up the body as a whole.  The emphasis ought to be placed on the fact that God has placed me here – in other words, where He wanted me to be and where He saw fit.  I am not a part of any body to simply bring out the best in me, but rather to know to my place serving God with others and to be satisfied with it.

By Brianna Clark, InterHigh Mentor, Junior @ UC Berkeley

Reflect on the fact that individual Christians are called to unite to form the body of Christ-i.e. to be Christ to the world today. What is the personal implication of this truth on my life in terms of how I view myself, conduct my life, and regard and value other believers God has placed in the church with me?

The unity of individual Christians to be Christ to the world today reminds me of Matthew 5:13-16. These verses communicate that Christians are the salt and light of the world to share the gospel and introduce non-believers to Christ. It points out that if salt loses its saltiness or the light of a lamp is hidden beneath a bowl they do not serve their purpose.  Likewise, Christian unity is necessary to serve the purpose of being the body of Christ. Together we bring the different parts of the body together so that we can work as a whole to guide non-believers to the cross and support other believers in their pursuit of living in the truths that the gospel challenges us with.
The personal implication of this truth for me is to not hide behind my shyness to escape the community that God has called me to function in. In order to be a more effective member of the church body I must shed my pride-based pursuit of preserving my self image. God’s grace and mercy provides the confidence I need to overcome my shyness through His encouraging words of the Bible and the support present in within the church body. Verses 15-17 demonstrate the importance of the different parts of the body working together to function as the body of Christ. Though we may be different in our  characteristics, we all function together to advance the kingdom of God and bring people to their savior in Jesus Christ.  We all suffer and rejoice together, this notion has greatly helped me to limit my competitive view of “being a good” or getting attention based on my outward performances. Instead I can view all of my actions as contributions to the greater whole, and when I am faced with a challenge, this notion makes it easier for me to seek out help from other members that are in the body, because what ails me will eventually ail the whole body of Christ if left untreated. This perspective also allows me to see other believers as common workers in these areas as we are to work together and not concentrate on competition or the differences that drive a wedge between our fellowship. Instead we are to come together in respect, honesty, and  love in order work together to save people and support growing and stable relationships with our heavenly father.