In some ways, a symphony orchestra is like a big beautiful machine. If you have ever had a chance to play in a symphony, you know that each individual in the group of musicians provides an singular instrument that plays its part and contributes to the whole. When an instrument plays and it is out of alignment with the whole, the sound is unpleasant and the music will not sound like it should. The conductor has the important role to listen for the discord and help each solitary instrument to play harmoniously with the rest of the group.
In the body of Christ, the individuals are many, but the function is the same, We all live for the purpose of serving our Lord Jesus Christ. When we think about discord in the body, perhaps our inclination is to focus on the individuals who have made things unpleasant. “I would not attend that church because I do not like [name here].”
We need to recognize that individuals who make church life unpleasant are usually folks that are disliked for a single infraction. Is is not possible to think that such a person can get better? After all, in our own life -Has there ever been a time when you were walking along and tripped? We all have. The tripping up was an infraction, due to not paying attention correctly. This leads us to an underlying truth: things go better when we work together. Paul tells us this in Romans.
For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ, we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. (Romans 12:4-5).
Better Striving
We can think of church life and Christian life as a composition of many individuals working towards a specific church goal – to elevate Christ and spread the gospel. There is an element of trust when this unfolds. We have to trust that our brother or sister in Christ IS striving to elevate Christ and spread the gospel. We do not have to all do it the same way, but we do have to move in the same direction.
In my lifetime I have known a handful of people who have cerebral palsy. These people can be great friends and capable people. The tough part is, they are trapped in bodies that are frequently not wired to work with their minds. The mind knows what it wants, but the body does not have an easy communication path with the brain that allows them to follow through on what the mind is directing them to do. It serves as a useful lesson in communication with the body. If the communication does not work, the desired task is going to prove difficult to accomplish.
Church communication becomes vital for accomplishing what the Lord wills. People have to work together and communicate – in order to coordinate.
Beautiful communication
In recent years, there has been a trend towards decreased attendance in churches. Congregation people face the task of doing more stuff with fewer people in order for their church to remain relevant. At such times we realize that each one has to do their job, sometimes as a cog in a bigger wheel, in order for the church to provide service to the community. As we do this, the communication within the body is important.
In recent years there has been a campaign of disruption from the world, pressing the perspective that the church is not relevant or vital in our modern times. Who needs the church when we can do what is needed by throwing money at a problem or by creating a new avenue of social justice? In actuality, money does not change a problem. Caring in the midst of the circumstance changes the problem.
When we create a program that does not show individual care and compassion, communication breaks down. The receiver of a benefit be interested in the provision, not the provider. The church cannot be idle in this regard. There is a difference between being a provider and a servant. A user will use what is provided, then walk away when the resource is no longer available. A servant establishes a relationship as they provide something, and the relationship will bring the user back when the provision is no longer needed.
Selah.
