Scripture for today's study: 1 Corinthians 1:10-17

‍

The Body

‍

One of the many things to admire about God is how everything He created is so deeply knit with mysterious meanings. For example, look at how He formed the human body. Close your eyes for a moment, and visualize how different parts of the body work together.

‍

The heart helps to circulate blood throughout the body. 

‍

That circulated blood carries nutrients for the body.

‍

Leukocytes (white blood cells) fight off infection, and many of those cells even die/self-destruct just to protect the body, emulating the sacrificial nature of our Lord Jesus Christ. How intricate is He!

‍

Therefore, when it comes to the body of Christ (all believers in Jesus Christ, joined together by the Holy Spirit), we too should be united.

‍

‍

The Catalysts of Division

‍

Unfortunately, this world we live in encourages division. It strives to amputate the body, making us less effective than we truly could be.

‍

We distinguish ourselves from our brothers and sisters based on things like nationality, race, political beliefs - just to name a few. 

‍

Psychologically speaking, our brains are wired to focus on the differences among people and form them into groups. When we feel connected to a particular group, we tend to treat that group more favorably, often at the expense of other believers who we perceive as "different."

‍

To make matters worse, the social media platforms we use every day weaponize this psychological vulnerability. To do this, they feed us content that reaffirms our biases. For example, if you've engaged with content that favors a specific political party, the algorithms work to show you more content that aligns with those beliefs. Taking it a step further, they also push false information, which increases engagement on their platforms but spurs confusion, hate, and division.

‍

‍

Accountability / Our Behavior

‍

In practice, this division manifests in various ways, such as fellow believers arguing in online comments or feuding with one another in the church. It looks like silently judging others in your mind, placing yourself above others, because their journeys are different from yours. 

‍

As believers, we must ask ourselves, "Do my actions and underlying motives align with God's desire for me to unite with other members of the body?" If the answer is no, then this is an opportunity for growth. And even if you answered yes, there's always room for improvement and refining. 

‍

‍

Call to Action

‍

So let's spread and celebrate the gospel of Christ. Nourish one another in love and wisdom. Intercede on behalf of one another when we're facing spiritual battles. Don't seek out opportunities to judge and spew negativity, but rather make it your duty to encourage and uplift others. Challenge yourself to walk across the room and fellowship with someone you may have overlooked or never considered chatting with. 

‍

Through 1 Corinthians 1:10-17, God is calling us to remember an important fact - that we are all connected in the Spirit - intertwined and designed to support one another. If the heart stops pumping, if blood stops circulating, if cells stop fighting for each other - then the body is in big trouble. So y'all, let's keep this in mind as we each continue in our purpose and the function for which God created us. In Jesus' name, amen 🙏

‍

With Gratitude,