Personal, But Not Individual
I have been admiring the Planet Earth series on the Discovery Channel recently. It is fascinating to recognize the vast diversity of life that exists on our planet. The most desolate parts of our planet still have life: frozen Siberian tundra to harsh Australian desert. And there is the ocean which is largely unknown. The rain forest holds the most shimmer in my eye. Rain forests exist by hugging the Equator all around the globe and while they only cover a small percentage of the Earth, they house more than 50% of the world’s species of plants and animals. How does one gain success in such a small, complex, and crowded area?
It is true that the monkeys who live high in the canopy care very little about a fungus living on the jungle floor. But the monkeys care a lot about the trees and the fruit they yield. The trees need the minerals that the fungi put back into the root system. The insects eat the fungi and then become food for other animals. The way one finds success in this area is by being specialized. Every plant and animal has a specific way of life. Some plants have giant leaves that allows for maximum sun exposure. Others have fast-growing vines to rapidly climb off the floor and reach the sun. Some insects eat only one other kind of insect and have found a way to perfect that hunt.
The circle of life is not a simple circle. It is more like the interweaving of a vacuum cleaner power cord. The twists and knots make the entire system dependent on itself. Some may look at this as proof of a bizarre evolutionary cycle; I see it as an amazing design of God. Another amazing design of God is the body of Christ: the church.
The church is also a complex and crowded place. There is much going on at all times and very little of it is independent — at least it should not be. God’s design for church is a community of people who come together. The definition of what they do when they are together has created denominational splits over the centuries. The Eastern Orthodox belief puts the weight on the sacraments, such as Eucharist (communion / Lord’s supper) and baptism. Catholics have seven sacraments and a need for a direct tie to Rome. Lutherans and Presbyterians will focus more on the preaching of the Word (by Word, I mean both the Bible and Jesus) and the right observation of the sacraments. Charismatics will focus more on the freedom of the Spirit. Unitarian Universalists will say that even going to church is optional. What makes church church?
I have a new mindset: my relationship with Jesus is personal, but not individual. In other words, I have a very personal relationship with God — I acknowledge that He knows all about me; I seek to know more about Him; I speak to Him whenever and wherever; my relationship with Him looks different than anyone else’s relationship with Him. My relationship is not individual, though. I am not alone in my relationship. Being involved in a community both locally and (thanks to the Internet) globally is essential for this relationship to succeed. I cannot have a church of just God and me.
1 Corinthians 12:12 – 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 one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — Jews or Greeks, slaves or free — and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
I have spoken before about this passage that immediately precedes the discussion on love in 1 Corinthians 13. Paul’s discussion on love is more about how the church — the body of Christ — is to work together. Think of the rain forest: the diversity, the funny-looking creatures, the noises, the smells. But it works. Success happens when everyone focuses on their piece. Read 1 Corinthians 12. Paul discusses spiritual gifts and their usefulness within the body of Christ. We all have at least one gift that is useful within this body. Let me encourage you to find your gifting and then use it. Focus on your specialty and together we can find success.
[...] (Read on …) [...]
Very, very good.