Love for our brothers and sisters

There are several passages in the bible that talk about the many parts of the one body of Christ. Romans 12:4-8 is one example and 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 is another. These verses have 3 obvious levels of application to the Christian life:

1. It stresses the importance of being well-rounded as a Christian. Christ wants us to enjoy all the fruits of the spirit - not just the couple we think we're good at.
2. It stresses the importance of all servants in a church - no matter how it is that they are serving. It takes a variety to make a living church. "If they were all one part, where would the body be?" 1 Corinthians 12:19.
3. It stresses the importance of all the different Christian churches.

Several months ago, I was listening to Chuck Swindoll talk about unity within the church. One thing that stood out was the discussion about an early secular spy who was sent by the Roman government to spy on the early church. This spy's observation was - "Behold, how they love one another." The question was, how would a spy view your church? How would a spy view Christianity as a whole? Would "love" be the word used or would it be something like one of the following:

- behold, how they judge one another.
- behold, how they hurt one another.
- behold, how they criticize one another.
- behold, how they deceive one another.

This week let's pray for unity. Let's pray that "love" becomes the all pervasive trait that outsiders see within His church. Ultimately, let's pray that we, as members of His body, mirror Him (not ourselves).

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob