Earlier this month, we discussed how pain is a gift to reveal proof of life and motivates us to make healthy changes. We learned that pain is useful on both the physical and spiritual levels. But pain makes another related contribution that often gets overlooked. It unifies the body when—the body is healthy. When our body is healthy, it unifies our physical body. When the body of Christ is healthy, it unifies the church.
Dr. Brand explained in his book, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, how, in India he treated a man with leprosy who had his fingers gnawed off by rats while he slept because the leprosy had deadened the nerves in his hands. He wrote that he “suffered because the rest of his body had lost contact with his hands.” When speaking of pain’s importance for unity he wrote:
“A body possesses unity to the degree that it feels pain. An infected toenail reminds me that the toe belongs to me, an integral part of my body’s health. Hair—yes, that matters, but mainly as a decoration. We can bleach, shape, iron, and even shave it off without pain. What is indispensable to me, pain defines.”
Leprosy had made the man’s hand unhealthy, so his brain did not sense pain in his hand and didn’t send help when the rat began tearing away flesh. The hand was diseased so it lost touch with the brain. In our series on self-care, we discussed in great detail how soul-care is critical to good health. Our head is Christ and we must not allow the disease of sin to dull our soul and lose communication with Him. This applies to sin in the church as well. A church must do its due diligence to keep itself healthy. Sin destroys individuals and it destroys the body of Christ.
Apathy is a great enemy of love.
When the church is more concerned about buildings, parking lots, and the programs than it is about investing in people through discipleship, it’s like being more concerned with expensive clothes than good health. The only part of the church which is indispensable is—the people. In a healthy church, the pain of a member is a gift to alert the body of Christ to send help and prevent disease. Dr. Brand observed, “just as pain unifies the body, its loss irreversibly destroys that unity.”
One of the huge factors destroying our culture and our churches today is that we are disconnected and are not building community based around God’s Word. Rather, now, people find their strongest sense of belonging in sports, politics, gyms, or the local pub. There was a time when my strongest tribe was found with people I played volleyball and softball with; but I learned the hard way that nothing else satisfies my soul like Christ. To be healthy, we must make Him the center of our LIFE and our COMMUNITY. This is why discipleship is so critical. In a healthy church—it should be happening every day.
It is important that we make the church healthy again. The church is Christ’s perpetual trust for the Gospel and the only way to save our families, communities, and our nation. We must go back to the basics and revive our own healthy relationship with Christ and be part of the solution instead of in the sick bed. Then, we will be well enough to help someone else. We must bond with a team to serve together in the unity of Christ. Only then can we have the strength and health to address the pain of others. When we are connected to Christ, our head, we have the necessary awareness of the needs of those around us and the ability to help. Masses of people are in critical condition! A broken foot left untreated—will eventually cripple the whole body.
Broken people affect our entire culture and even threaten our existence.
Lest you look around and become staggered by the overwhelming problem of pain—remember—you don’t have to go it alone. When born again believers bond together, we are strong! And remember, we are carriers of the Gospel, which is the ULTIMATE cure for brokenness. When we develop the critical BE-Attitudes of Christ, we are plugged into HIS inexhaustible supply of love, joy, peace, wisdom, strength and compassion to carry the life-giving message of salvation. When we’re pulling on GOD’s team—He takes care of all of our peripheral needs. The Apostle Paul described how the Philippian Church supplied his needs and, in turn, how he reassured them how GOD would supply their needs:
“But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. And my God shall supply ALL your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:10, 16-19
When I become fearful of giving from EVERY area of my life because I think I’LL run out, God reminds me: Will you really run out of compassion, resources, time, money, or love if it is ALL supplied by ME? Paul was CONFIDENT that God would renew ALL the Phillipian church used for his care because they were giving for the glory of Christ, who is the HEAD of the body. Jesus is the head. He knows what we need. Always. As a healthy body feels the pain of its weakest parts, we are called to have an awareness of the needs of others. Dr. Brand explained:
“An amoeba, one-celled, perceives any threat as a danger to the whole. Bodies consisting of many cells need something more, and pain provides that crucial unifying link. Individual cells must suffer with one another for multicellular organisms to survive; the head must feel the needs of the tail.”
Just as a healthy body feels the pain of its weakest part, we, as Christ’s body, are called to bear one another’s burdens.
“God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”
1 Corinthians 12:24-26
My friend, helping is not a staggering burden we must bear alone! Remember in our series on self-care how we discussed Jesus’ promise of immeasurable rest—WHILE we serve Him. He said,
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
This is a call to action! None of us live independently. How radically would your life change if the people maintaining your electricity and water were suddenly all hospitalized and you had to live for even 48 hours without power? We desperately need each other. Without Jesus maintaining the beat of our heart, we are only five minutes from death. Jesus is our head and we are the body—and just like HIM—we should be moved with compassion for those who are weak and be ready to deploy the gifts He has given us.
“And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with COMPASSION for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd.”
Mark 6:34
Pain is a gift to unify the body. It provides priceless opportunities to share the gifts God has given us. God didn’t give us our gifts to use them for ourselves. When we are generously compassionate, we live like a lively river instead of a stagnant pond. If we are a LIVING part of the body of Christ, we are AWARE of the hurting around us and—if CHRIST is in us we ACT with compassion towards each other.
Jesus set the standard for love; and—He empowers us to live it.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”
John 13:34
