1 Corinthians 12:21 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!”

Many years ago, I remember watching a world cup game. This one national team who always wins the world cup if not ranks high was playing against my favorite team. I was expecting for it to be a sad game where I have to witness my favorite team getting crushed. But something interested took place. The team who was favored by all experts to win this game started to struggle. They weren’t able to perform at the level they used to perform and they were playing at a sub-par level to what they used to be. What gives?

Even as a unprofessional soccer spectator, I could easily notice the teammates going at each other. Their face was showing their anger and disappointment at other players and I saw no coordination whatsoever but it felt they were blaming each other for any mistakes or lack of good performance. Eventually, that favorite team who the world thought would win, end up losing to a team who know one thought would win.

Going back to our main passage, we see an interesting verse from what Paul says in his anaology of the body in comparison to the church. He says how each parts of the body can’t blame or disparage one another, but they must know they are interdependent and they exist to be in harmony and need of one another. Isn’t this the true image of the church? We need Jesus. But as a church, we also need one another. When we are in harmony and love, that’s when church grows. However, when we bicker and fight one another, that’s when things go down, just like that soccer team example mentioned above.

What kind of church are we building today? Are we focused on how not-needed the other is or are we focused on how we are interdependent and in need of each other to expand God’s Kingdom together? May we all be those who can live in harmony and love by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.