Unity and Diversity in the Body
1 Corinthians 12: 12-31NIV
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it,25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[d]? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
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As I have returned back to sunny California, my lips have become chapped once again. The one benefit of having moisture in the air is smooth lips! Haha However, it has not yet been a week of support raising and I have already been tremendously blessed by all the stories that my friends have been sharing with me. I have come to find that the struggles that I went through are similar to those of my fellow sisters. As I have been meeting up and reconnecting with people, WE have been able to encourage each other and share OUR most vulnerable “secrets” with one another. As I think back, I’m so grateful of this opportunity to have one on one time with my friends because I usually see my friends in group settings. In those group settings, it’s harder to put yourself in a position of vulnerability.
Within the past six days, I have had the privilege to meet up with my friends and invite them onto A team as I prepare to go on missions. I don’t necessarily think of this as my team because I truly do believe God has already crafted this team. As I seek out other people to join this team, I reflect on this scripture; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. We are all called to different ministries because “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.”
I kinda chuckle to myself because at one point in my life, I asked God if my role was to support the missionaries going overseas. I really contemplated if that was my role because I was so down to get a teaching career and support! Seriously! Also, in my head, mathematically speaking, each year would become easier to support because teachers get paid more each year; this is public information fyi!
But, honestly speaking, I don’t think I was ready to be in my own classroom this year. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve been dreaming of my own classroom since the third grade. I even told my girl friend, Nha, that she was going to help me set up the walls in my classroom. However, teaching right out of grad school just didn’t sit well with me. At a certain point, I think I was more excited about the salary than my future students; salary was never a reason why I chose this career.
I’m really excited to see what God has planned for me in Mexico City! I will be teaching at Instituto Metropolitano Estrella. For those interested about this school, here is the direct link to the school. : http://imemexico.weebly.com/
I think I went off on a tangent, but that’s what a blog is for right? :)
Thank you for reading! 3