Sunday, April 18, 2021

Sharing Our Stories: The Body of Christ


The Body of Christ: Your Part Matters
A devotional by Kai A. Pineda

“The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don’t, the parts we see and the parts we don’t. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance.”
— 1 Corinthians 12:25-26 (MSG)

People have asked me why I think George Floyd’s death impacted the world in a way other wrongful deaths of black men had not in the past. For me, the answer was quite simple: We all saw the same thing.

As you read this, I want to be sure you understand what I mean by the previous statement. The eight minute and 46-second video, taped by a teenaged girl, left the world speechless. We could not ignore it, even as hard as it was to watch it. We did not all feel the same because, for African-Americans, the trauma of the moment and the PTSD from other moments like it left us enraged, hurting, and numb.

I was looking for the Body of Jesus Christ (the Church) to rise and respond in a biblical and not emotional way. I looked for my brothers and sisters from others races to speak up. Some did, but many were silent. When brothers and sisters of color were in pain over yet another senseless murder, some of our brothers and sisters with lesser melanin decided not to speak up nor speak out. I grieved as we “The Church” should have rallied together to show unity. When asked by a Caucasian friend what he should be saying during all of this, I told him, “We don't need you to say the perfect thing; we just need you to say something.”

You cannot say this matters if my hurt doesn't matter to you.

As the Body of Christ, we were created to live together. These times we were and continue to face cause 1 Corinthians 12:26 (MSG) to ring in my ear: “If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing.” How could this scripture become a reality if those who serve God continue to decide what did not affect them at all? When would the scriptures be made alive in us, and the healing we need within us begin? What did we need to become for the change we wanted to happen? I did not have all the answers; however, I had some thoughts:

Thought #1: We must remember we are many parts, but one Body. Everyone must matter, not some of the time, but all of the time. It is impossible to hear without ears or walk without feet. If we understand every part of our physical body is necessary and see it as the Body of Christ, maybe we would begin to see each other as valuable. (1 Corinthians 12)

Thought #2: The church will never see the world healed until we heal the divisions and racism within ourselves. We have been segregated for far too long and have walked away from the unity God calls and finds pleasant. (Psalm 133:1)

Thought #3: When I grab hold of the Word of God and do not just pick and choose what fits my limited view of the world, I begin to lean into what God says about everything, including racism and injustices.

Like you, I am seeking daily to live a life that models the life of Christ. He was a welcoming, loving servant who did not discriminate. I pray we will follow His example and lay down our ways for His and let 1 Corinthians 12 rule in our hearts, and we seek to be hope and healing in this world.

Let’s Pray: Father God, you know all things. Today I ask you to show me myself. Where I have allowed my emotions or my opinion to keep me from loving my brothers and sisters in Christ, forgive me. As a real enemy is seeking to devour us, I commit to being a person of peace and unity, not division. Teach me to care for all my brothers and sisters in the faith. Show me any place within me that does not reflect your image or your love. I will hurt when my brothers and sisters hurt. I will cover them in prayer, reach out with compassion, and listen intently to hear what they have to say. I desire to play my part and value every other part within the Body, because we are one, and we are greater together than we are apart. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

~*~
Author Bio:
I am a fire-starter and a passionate student of the Bible who helps others discover their identity and the beauty within the Body of Christ by leading them into an encounter with the Word of God.  

I am married to a man I am madly in like with and love more than I can explain. Together we plant home fellowships within the U.S. and abroad.

I am an author who released her first book, Dear Church: Vol 1: The Beauty of The Body, in 2019, with the second volume to be released in 2021. I have recorded two praise and worship albums and love to travel.

I am an introvert who loves her family, people, rainy days, a chai latte from Starbucks, and my Maltipoo McLovin.

I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, nor challenging people to live lives based on a biblical standard and not personal preferences.
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