We "Belong" to Each Other

This morning I felt led to read the following verses  - Romans 12:3-13 NIV:

[3] "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. [4] For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, [5] so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. [6] We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; [7] if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; [8] if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully." 

[9] "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. [10] Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. [11] Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. [12] Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. [13] Share with the Lord's people who are in need. Practice hospitality."

I love verse 5, "each member belongs to all the others"!  This is so true and something the church in America struggles to understand.  Many are so focused on our own little bit, our own gift, or our own vision, even our own expression as a congregation, that we forget that we belong to a greater Body of Christ, and we all need each other!  In fact the truth is nothing we have is for ourselves, we belong to each other, so do our gifts, vision, faith expressions, and even our congregations!  

Looking at the original Greek, it reads slightly different and here is Young's Literal Translation of the verses -  Romans 12:4-5 YLT:  "for as in one body we have many members, and all the members have not the same office, [5] so we, the many, one body are in Christ, and members each one of one another."

I actually like this version for it explains it a bit better at least in my mind, though awkwardly.  We are all part (many) of one body (Christ's) and only find our connection in others (each one of another).  Our place can only be in context to the rest of the body.  As I wrote that I thought of the single puzzle piece, compared to the whole puzzle.  No single puzzle piece contains the whole picture, it is only in connection and context of all teh other puzzle pieces that it connects with that its place is seen and understood.

Lord, help us to understand our absolute need for one another!  Help us to 'not think about ourselves more highly than we ought' but to recognize that it is only in joining together with everyone else in the Body of Christ, that we find our true place!  Help us to learn to define ourselves not through our specific gift, or place, but to understand our place in the bigger picture.  Help us to call back those that we need to complete the Body of Christ!

Amen & Amen!