Suppose you receive a box from an unexpected source. You open the box and find hundreds of pieces and one drawing of what the finished product should look like. You scan the pieces and the drawing and decide that you want to put it all together. However, you think that you know how to put it together simply by looking at the drawing. You begin to put it together and find some pieces that you think are useless, so you discard those pieces. At the end, you declare yourself finished. Several pieces have been discarded, but the project looks complete. After several days of use of your new project, you find that it is weaker than it should be and begins to fall apart. Pieces fall off and other pieces are damaged. Unfortunately, this happens in the church at times. It is easy to ignore some members or feel that they can’t offer value. But as time goes on, we find that we need them and the gifts that God has given them. We find that they can offer significant value to the church and to us personally.
I Corinthians 12:24-26 says, “But God so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” In the body of Jesus Christ, we all need each other. One person cannot do the ministry by themselves. Each member has been gifted differently to play their special role within the church, so that together we will fulfill God’s purpose. Beyond that, we are so equipped in order to care for one another. Let us love one another and honor one another.
Reluctant Retiree 