My Eyes Aren't Your Eyes
I Corinthians 12:12-31a
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.
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Recently, I went to get my eyes checked since it's been a few years, and my glasses didn't feel like they were giving me the crystal clear sight they once provided. After getting my eyes dilated to the point where I felt as though I could see through space and time and sitting through the nerve-wracking series of "Is one or two or two or three better," I walked away with new glasses. The doctor told me that my prescription had changed in a way that made me question the quality of my last eye exam (from where I previously lived, my experience with my local eye doctor here was nothing short of great). As we pay attention to our bodies and how they change and how each part functions (or doesn't function), Paul calls us to consider what role we play in the body of Christ. Paul challenges us to ponder whether belonging to such a community is worth sacrificing part of our human free spirit of individualism.
Look, I get that rugged individualism and personal freedom are built into our American society's genetic code, and I'm not suggesting that we discard those principles. We should, however, evaluate them in light of Paul's teaching to the Corinthians, who believed that at the time, their liberties were under attack. For context, some in the church felt violated by a prohibition imposed by leaders in the church regarding eating meat sacrificed to idols. Paul acknowledges that it is a sensitive subject for many in the community and advises them to refrain from consuming sacrificial meat. This common good drives Paul's message in today's reading as he moves from talking about meat to spiritual gifts. If the body as a whole is going to suffer because one part wants to do something else, then it probably isn't good as it will harm the body. Taking a moment to pause, we might name ways in which we've done what we've wanted to do at the cost of the common good, at the expense of the body of Christ. How do we balance our uniquely given gifts, passions, and freedom with the call to give our all to the body of Christ?
Paul would most likely say that it starts with an examination of ourselves. Just because we can do something doesn't mean we should, because it might end up causing harm to ourselves and those around us. And Paul might say we need to be aware of moments where we can extend our bodies' grace, and grace to one another and ourselves, so that we will begin to see how God's desire for our lives comes together. How many of you are familiar with the term "internet troll"? For those who aren't familiar with what an "internet troll" is, an internet troll is a person who leaves caustic comments on the internet with the sole intent of being provocative or abrasive. Patton Oswalt, a comedian, known for his aggressive style of comedy, was the recipient of one such caustic comment. Yet, instead of embracing an "eye for an eye," Patton Oswalt looked through the commenter's Twitter feed and saw that he had a Go Fund Me page to help raise money to cover expenses from an emergency room visit. Oswalt donated $2,000 to his online heckler and encouraged his followers to give as well. The man who had thrown harsh criticism at Oswalt wrote back thanking him and that he would consider the way his words impacted others.
Remember that you, that we, are the body of Christ, and together we represent individual pieces with different gifts, talents, and passions. In our current cultural climate, we are presented with a unique opportunity as the Church to demonstrate what it looks like to be part of a community that honors and respects our individual spirits while looking out for the health of the larger community. So how will you use your spiritual gift this season? We cannot go through life thinking that our one part alone can carry us through to the end. Our bodies, our souls, were not meant to walk this earth alone or to do it alone otherwise, why else would we come seeking to be a part of the body of Christ? God has appointed each one of us with a task. So may we live into that task, building up and strengthening one another as we take one step after another in the direction of looking out for ourselves and the people God has put in our lives. Remember to show yourself grace in this endeavor and your neighbors, as this work is hard. Let us model this vision for life together as our spirits long for such a blessed communion.