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Weaker links 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a Have you heard anything like this: Oh, I’m not much really, all I know how to do is cook. Or: I’m no leader, I just give the kids a little something about the Bible in our Sunday School class. Or: I can swing a hammer a little, but don’t ask me to be on a committee, I get all tongue-tied. Or: I can’t really sing, but I just enjoy being in the choir. You’ve heard comments like that, haven’t you? Perhaps you’ve even said something similar? When Paul writes about the body and its many members, he’s really getting at just that. Paul recognizes that not all of us are prophets, apostles, miracle workers, teachers, leaders, interpreters. What he also recognizes is that every one of us has a contribution to make, and that every contribution is significant and is indispensable to the functioning of the body. You’ve heard about holistic medicine – this is holistic religion, holistic faith, the holistic church. At no point can or should the body ever say to one of its parts: I have no need of you. (v. 21) And then Paul makes the following observation: …the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with great honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this. (22-23, NRSV)    Do you read what I read? What I read in this is that Paul commends to us those parts of the body which are weakened, in whatever way or for whatever reason, and we’re reminded to take special care for such parts of the body of Christ. If a part of our own physical bodies is hurt or injured, it receives special care and attention as we seek healing. So it is with the body of God’s church, and with all of God’s people whether within the church or outside of the church. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. (26) The cooks, the carpenters, the teachers, the choir members and those with a host of other gifts, along with weaker links, those who are infirm and outside of the mainstream and perhaps even downright hostile and unpleasant – all are a part of the body. We rejoice even as we struggle to take care of each other and to love each other, as Christ would have us do.  - Pastor Piet - January 21, 2007  (please read the scripture passage in its entirety!)