A few days ago, while working outside, I tripped and fell. When Dave helped me up, I could see and feel that my right knee took the brunt of the impact.
For the last week and a half we have been working outside in the cool of the morning. We were almost done and in the process of some clean up. We had laid a ladder down on the patio, it needed to be washed and put away.
I had walked around it several times but this time I forgot it was there. Distracted with something else, it caught the toe of my shoe, I lost my balance and fell forward. I landed hard with my knee hitting the ladder and then the concrete. I was less than graceful.
My knee began swelling immediately – the body’s way of providing protection to the injured part. I pushed myself to finish a couple of small chores and then came in to ice and elevate it. My body was sore and so was my ego. How could I have been so unaware?
Each step the last couple of days, my body has reminded me that I needed to go slow and not overdo. I have done so and this morning when I woke 95% of the pain and stiffness is gone and only a little bruising is left.
It was nice to walk around without a limp and feel back to normal. God has designed our bodies with the amazing ability to heal and regenerate itself.
But it’s not just this physical body, the ability to heal also applies to the spiritual body, the Body of Christ.
“Our own body has many parts. When all these many parts are put together, they are only one body. The body of Christ is like this…14 The body is not one part, but many parts. 15 If the foot should say, ‘I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,’ that would not stop it from being a part of the body. 16 If the ear should say, ‘I am not a part of the body because I am not an eye,’ that would not stop it from being a part of the body…18 But God has put all the parts into the body just as He wants to have them. 19 If all the parts were the same, it could not be a body. 20 But now there are many parts, but one body…24 The parts that can be seen do not need as much care. God has made the body so more care is given to the parts that need it most. 25 This is so the body will not be divided into parts. All the parts care for each other. 26 If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it. If one part is given special care, the other parts are happy. 27 You are all a part of the body of Christ.” I Corinthians 12:13-17 NLV
If one part of the body hurts the other parts hurt with it.
As Christians we are all a part of the body of Christ and when you hurt, I should feel your pain and come to your aide. That’s what it means to be part of His body. We all share in the process of healing.
If you hurt and hide it, I can’t come to your assistance. If I am self-centered I may be judgmental and unwilling to help. Neither condition is of Christ’s choosing.
Let’s all take an active part in seeing that the Body of Christ stays healthy and whole!