A person's body is one thing, but it has many parts. Though there are many parts to a body, all those parts make only one body. Christ is like that also. Some of us are Jews, and some are Greeks. Some of us are slaves, and some are free. But we were all baptized into one body through one Spirit. And we were all made to share in the one Spirit.The human body has many parts. The foot might say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not part of the body." But saying this would not stop the foot from being a part of the body. The ear might say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not part of the body." But saying this would not stop the ear from being a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, it would not be able to hear. If the whole body were an ear, it would not be able to smell. If each part of the body were the same part, there would be no body. But truly God put all the parts, each one of them, in the body as he wanted them. So then there are many parts, but only one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the foot, "I don't need you!" No! Those parts of the body that seem to be the weaker are really necessary. And the parts of the body we think are less deserving are the parts to which we give the most honor. We give special respect to the parts we want to hide. The more respectable parts of our body need no special care. But God put the body together and gave more honor to the parts that need it so our body would not be divided. God wanted the different parts to care the same for each other. If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it. Or if one part of our body is honored, all the other parts share its honor.
Together you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of that body.
(1 Corinthians 12:12-27)
I used to think that because I was not raised in a strong Christian home that I would never be a "good enough" Christian. That because my father was not an elder, deacon, minister...or even a faithful Christian, I could never accomplish great things for the Lord. I thought I would be the "red-headed step-child" of the church. I would always be lagging behind or handicapped in my Christianity.
I used to think that I would never be able to find a strong Christian mate because I did not have the ideal upbringing. So many people concentrate on finding a mate (or mates for their children) who came from a strong Christian family that I figured I would just remain single.
I thought that because I was not raised with daily Bible study or prayer in the home that I would never be a great Bible teacher, I could never convert others to Christ. I wouldn't be useful on mission trips.
I was wrong.
I placed that handicap on myself which held me back from doing so many amazing things in the past.
Then I realized that many of the Christians that I looked up to were not raised in the church. At all. At least I had a faithful mother who took me to worship every week. I had youth group activities. I became a Christian at 12. Some of the strongest Christians I know didn't even hear the word until they were over 18.
The point of the matter? The church cannot be made up completely of those who were raised in Christian homes. That would mean no one is being converted from the world. We need a variety of parts to make up an entire body. Those who can speak, those who can cook. Those who can nurture, those who can build. Young, old, wise, weak, loud, quiet.
The church needs everyone who will be faithful and adhere to the Word.
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