While playing tennis Colleen stretched to hit a ball and pulled a muscle in her leg. Her entire body reacted to her injury. Colleen’s leg started to swell and the other muscles in her leg tensed in order to prevent movement and further injury. The pain from her injury affected all of Colleen’s body. She lost her energy and wanted only to sit down and relax. Colleen’s mind shifted into high gear to review the various options that Colleen had in order to help her make decisions about what she should do. Colleen’s body focused itself on healing.

It is interesting to note that Paul never called the church at Corinth a team. Team is too weak a word. The church was a body. A body works together to face the challenges that confronts it and achieve the goals that it has set. Carrying for injured members and seeking the health of all are another ways that the body works together.

Individually we are disciples of Jesus Christ, but we are all part of the body of Christ. As a body we do more than simply work together. We seek to care for each other and work for each other’s wellbeing. When one of us is hurting we all hurt. Healthy and whole we can accomplish great things. Paul always emphasized more of our life together than he did our individual walks of faith. It is a difficult but necessary lesson to learn.

1 Corinthians 13:12-31

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.