Hi, I’m Joni, and thanks for joining me on Joni and Friends.
I am very big on friends… especially friends in the body of Christ. I think it’s because I need them! But more importantly, I believe they need me. I’m thinking of a couple of girlfriends who help me lie down at night – one, in particular, one girlfriend, I know she struggles with some serious emotional problems, and I know, I just know that it helps her so much to help me… it really gets her focus on the Lord when she takes the time to come to my house in the evening, wash my face, brush out my hair, get me undressed, help me into bed, and stretch my legs a bit. The routine takes about an hour or so and I’m very grateful for the time she gives me… but I never feel guilty about asking her for help. I feel good about it, for her sake – because I know God blesses her for serving a weaker member of the body of Christ, like me. She becomes stronger in her walk with Jesus when she takes time out of her schedule to minister to me, a quadriplegic.
Friend, the body of Christ needs a lot of work done on it – let that fact sink in and it will keep you from becoming discouraged because it helps to know how imperfect the church really is, for when we see others’ needs, we will be able to supply what is lacking. It’s why God gave each of us gifts, like my friend who helps me lie down at night. Ephesians 4 says that the Lord gave gifts “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
Wow, there is a lot packed into that verse. When God gives us gifts (talents, opportunities, whatever), these gifts are not for us to hoard or to keep to ourselves, but to use. God gave you a spiritual gift so that you might help fix what is broken somewhere in Christ’s body and supply what is lacking. Man, what a glorious assignment! But remember, you also need the ministry of other believers to fix you and build you up. That way, what is broken about you can be fixed and then you can more effectively pass on the healing to others. But here’s the key: our aim is to not just strengthen the parts of the body of Christ, but the whole. We don’t merely build up other individuals; we build up the entire body of Christ. When one Christian is helped… it helps the whole church. I truly believe that’s the case with my girlfriend who helps me lie down in the evenings – she’s not just building me up as an individual… her service is strengthening my husband, Ken, and all the other girls who help me lay down at night or get up in the morning. There is a real corporate sense – you know what I mean – a corporate sense to our service when we help individuals. Because of our mystical, intimate union with each other as Christians, we’re helping the whole body of Christ, and boy, does that glorify the head.
The ultimate goal is that we, as Christ’s body, will become mature, “attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Together, friend, we will become like-hearted and of like passion, growing as one around the truth of God’s Word. Once that happens, the church will take on the personality of Christ… with a love like Christ’s… with a spirit like Christ’s… and with strength like Christ’s. And friend, in closing, I’m amazed at how another friend of mine, Robin Hiser who has Down syndrome, has strengthened the body of Christ around her, and today’s the last day you can watch my interview with her on my radio page at joniandfriends.org – don’t forget to visit it.
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