It Starts Small

Throughout the whole book of Corinthians division in the church has been a major point Paul has addressed. He has addressed factious and misplaced loyalties. He has also spoken about judging others and people looking down on others. Additionally, he has covered issues concerning the poor and the rich, to name a few. Now some people are becoming prideful in their gifts or roles in the church. They look down on those whose gifts aren’t as public or visible. Paul shoots their pride out of the water and tells them how a Christ-like church should run. Unity is essential.

The first two verses repeat “one, one, one”. In Christ we are one and there are to be no divisions. This is one of the aspects that make the church unique. It is set apart from the corrupt organizations and agencies in this world. These virtually always divide. The rich have their own little elite and exclusive club. The poor hang out together and look down on them. Women have their groups. Men have theirs. Pet-lovers get together. Retired people get together. Young people get together. There are as many divisions and ways to sort people as there are people. But all of those divisions should go out the window once we step foot in church.

³ For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. ⁴ Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, ⁵ in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. ⁶ According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the proportion of one’s faith; ⁷ if service, use it in service; if teaching, in teaching; ⁸ if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness.

Romans 12:3-8

Many gifts. One body. Many functions.

² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope at your calling— ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

Ephesians 4:2-6

Unity. Bear with one another. One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism.

¹¹ In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all. ¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, ¹³ bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive. ¹⁴ Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

Colossians 3:11-14

Because there is no division in the body bear each others’ burdens and love one another. Forgive and exercise unity.

2 If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, ² make my joy complete by thinking the same way, having the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

Philippians 2:1-2

Paul speaks about what type of unity we should have. Thinking the same way. Having the same love. United in spirit. One purpose.

The New Testament clearly shows that God desires unity above all for His church. It is a horrible testimony to the world if believers cannot even love one another and look past the color of skin or the size of the bank account.

Unfortunately many churches today are divided on just those same things. The church overall has a definite problem in this area. It is miles past where the world is, but still not where it needs to be.

How about us? Do we have a problem in this? Do we look down and judge in the church based on skin color, education level, bank account size, or as is the theme in this section of Scripture, perhaps what one does in the church, how much they contribute, or where they serve?

Whether you like it or not, all believers are in the same boat. It’s like a family when you live together. You cannot escape them. You might as well learn to love them. A founding document in the US, says that all people are created equal. I have news for the founding fathers. All people are not created equal. Some are born rich and never have to work in their lives. Some are born in a low caste in India and can’t get out of it no matter how hard they try.

BUT, in the church, in God’s eyes everyone IS equal. This does not mean we are clones or all doing the same thing. There is great diversity, but there is unity. It is like in a marriage. The husband and wife’s roles are different and complementary, but equally important.

¹⁴ Indeed, the body is not one part but many. ¹⁵ If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted. ¹⁹ And if they were all the same 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!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”

1 Corinthians 12:14-21

Paul takes his “body” analogy even further to describe the different parts of the body and their own specific functions.

Let me ask you doctors this. Is there any part of the body that has no function?

In the past, some doctors believed certain body parts had no function. They thought this about tonsils and maybe appendixes. But later they discovered that these too have a function. I also have news for the scientific world. Even if they think a part of the body has no function, they are wrong. If God created it, it has a function. This is just as true with the church.

The key verse of this section is verse 18.

¹⁸ But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted. 

1 Corinthians 12:18

God gave each member the gifts He wanted them to have and put them in the area of service He wanted them to have. Three things I want us to remember from this section of Scripture:

First, you have a role in the church. Every believer in this world has work that God has planned for them. God has also provided the proper means or gifts to accomplish this work. There are not supposed to be some sitters and some servers. There are no bench warmers in the body of Christ. There are not supposed to be some hearers and some speakers, some watchers and some doers. EVERYONE has a role. Your role might not be public speaking or singing and leading. But it is essential nonetheless. You wouldn’t cut off your foot and say it is not necessary. Neither should you sit idly and do nothing. Do not think that your work is unnecessary or that you are not good enough to contribute.

¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10

Second, your role is essential and ordained by God. You must be content in your role, whatever it is, and not be jealous of others. You must be willing to fulfill your God-given responsibility. Do not shirk it in favor of something He didn’t give you to do. If you don’t know what God would have you to do, start serving and volunteering and finding out. You must be humble and not seek glory for whatever God has given you to do.

Finally, if you have a more visible role than others, you must not look down on them. Never get puffed up. “Puffed up” is arrogance. We are all in the same boat. We are there because of God’s grace, not our skills. If we have a more visible role, we need to spend more time caring for those who are not as visible. We should show our love to them and let them know we appreciate all that they do.

²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that are weaker are indispensable. ²³ And those parts of the body that we consider less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unrespectable parts are treated with greater respect, ²⁴ which our respectable parts do not need.

Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, ²⁵ so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. ²⁶ So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

1 Corinthians 12:22-26

Paul uses the example of the body. He seems to be alluding to the ugliness of the internal organs. He also points out their seeming insignificance. These don’t appear very presentable. They don’t seem very necessary. However, they are actually more necessary than most of what we see when we look at a body. It’s like a play. Maybe 1% of the work is actually putting on the show and 99% is practice and preparation.

The weaker or less visible members are also crucial and have their own specific function. We need to devote more time to caring for this group of people. We should show our love and respect for them. Should they be doing it for the thanks of men? Won’t God give them their reward? Yes, God will and they should do it to be thanked by us. That is from their side. But from our side, we should express our appreciation and care and not ignore them and treat them as inferior. If we are actually in this group, we need to thank God for the role He has given us. We should recognize it as essential. We should carry on to do it with our whole hearts.

²⁵ so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 

1 Corinthians 12:25

Verse 25 reminds us that there should be no divisions. We should have the same care for one another. There should be no divisions between different sets of workers or contributors. Neither should we care more for the rich or visible instead of the poor and background servers. James sternly warns the church against partiality.

2 My brothers and sisters, do not show favoritism as you hold on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. ² For if someone comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor person dressed in filthy clothes also comes in, ³ if you look with favor on the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor person, “Stand over there,” or “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,” ⁴ haven’t you made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

⁵ Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Didn’t God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? ⁶ Yet you have dishonored the poor. Don’t the rich oppress you and drag you into court? ⁷ Don’t they blaspheme the good name that was invoked over you?

⁸ Indeed, if you fulfill the royal law prescribed in the Scripture, Love your neighbor as yourself, you are doing well. ⁹ If, however, you show favoritism, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. ¹⁰ For whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all.

James 2:1-10

The biggest takeaway from this passage is the importance of showing our care towards everyone in the body. This includes those we think aren’t doing as well as they should.

In a family, one person’s bad news is the whole family’s bad news and the same with the good. We should try to bear one another burdens, mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice.

¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.

Romans 12:15

Take a look at the list of gifts Paul spoke in yesterday’s scripture. Pray over this list if you do not know you gift. Get into your church and volunteer and serve. This opens the door to leading you to your gift.

© Kimberlee Smith 2025 http://www.itstartssmall.com All rights reserved.