Swimming and Church
By Joanne Lee
After not swimming for ages, I enjoyed my recent dip in the pool. The water slid against my skin, bidding me to stay in the pool for a longer time. As I swam, I used my hands and legs to push against the water, propelling myself forward so as to finish the laps.
The Holy Spirit reminded me that the church works in pretty much the same way. We are the body of Christ. We worked in cooperation with one another to advance God’s kingdom. No one is redundant. Where we find ourselves lacking, other members in the body will complement us. In short, we need one another.
This truth became apparent when I tried swimming without moving my arms. I even tried to swim without moving my legs. It was tough! I had difficulty catching my breath. The water became my biggest enemy and I stood a higher chance of drowning.
This swimming experience illustrated for me 1 Corinthians 12:12-26. You and me constitute the many parts that made up the body of Christ. No one can say that they do not belong to the body. As such, we ought to think twice before complaining about the church or saying that we are not needed in the church. We should also question this whole idea about leaving a particular church to find another one that needs us.
In verse 22-24, we are commanded to treat those who seem to be weaker than us with honor and care. God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the part with less honor. As members in the body, we should care for each other. We rejoice with those who rejoice, and suffer with those who suffer (v.26).
One final thought: No one in the church is incompatible with another because we are meant to grow together in one body. We can help those who are weaker or even struggling to find their ministry that they too can use their talents to build up the body of Christ. To the praise of His glory and name!
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