Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. – 1 Corinthians 12:27

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 12, 2018): 1 Corinthians 12

The Rolling Stones sang “You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes you just might find you get what you need” (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards). The song wasn’t about the Christian Church, but sometimes I think the chorus should have been. Sometimes it seems that we go around wishing we had someone else’s talents. We are the person on the front row who wants nothing more than to sing in the choir, even though they can’t carry a tune. We are the janitor who wants to preach or the preacher who wants nothing more than to spend time at the back running the soundboard (yeah, that last one is me.)

A few years ago the church that I led hosted a Southern Gospel weekend. It was fun watching the ones who led the project get so excited over who was coming. I got excited because they were excited, but I had no idea who any of the people were. The time came for the first concert, and I was as excited as they were. For the next few hours, I had set it up that I was going to play gopher for the sound guys, subbing in wherever they needed me. And then the promoters of the event destroyed my evening. I was the pastor, and so I had to make all of the introductions of the various musicians. I tried to explain that there was no way that someone who did not even know who these people were would ever be able to make an introduction the way that a real Southern Gospel fan could, but I lost the argument. Introductions, followed by sitting in the front row where everyone could see me enjoying the music, was my job. All I wanted was to just sit at the back and be part of the “behind the scenes” crew for the weekend. Cue Mick Jagger singing the Gospel version of “you can’t always get what you want.”  

Maybe you have never felt that way, but I think you probably have. Paul is about ready to drive his point home. You all have a purpose. I get that maybe it isn’t the purpose that you want, but you are necessary for everything that is going to happen. We are all part of the Body of Christ. It doesn’t matter what your job is; the Body doesn’t function as it should without you. In this “all about me culture” in which we live, it is a hard understand the concept. We don’t seem to think that the ushers at a worship service are every bit as important as the speaker and the leader of the band. Even if you do not have an official role at an event, you are still the one who God has gifted for a purpose, and there is someone at the gathering with whom you need to connect or for whom you need to pray. We can accomplish all that God has set before us, but only if we are willing to use the gifts that he has blessed us with, together. That means that sometimes I have to introduce Southern Gospel groups about whom I know nothing. We have a purpose. In the church, there are no “hangers-on.” We are the body, together. And we are essential to the purposes of God. It may not be what we want, but it is what God has decided that we need. And there should be nothing more that we need to know.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 13