One of the things that has become clearer to me as I have grown in my faith is that God never intended for every Christian to look, sound, worship, minister, or think exactly the same. Yet somehow, we have become very comfortable believing that the way we do Christianity is the way Christianity is supposed to be done. Our denomination understands it better. Our church worships the right way. Our generation sees things more clearly. Our pastor teaches it correctly. Our ministry is doing the work that really matters. And before we know it, without ever actually saying the words, we have essentially looked at another part of the Body of Christ and said: “I have no need of you.” But Paul tells us something very different in 1 Corinthians 12. “And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee...”1 Corinthians 12:21 Think about that for a minute. An eye and a hand are completely different. They don’t look alike. They don’t function alike. They don’t experience the world the same way. But neither one is unnecessary. In fact, the Body needs both. That is what we are talking about this week on TheReuPLive Podcast as we continue our Different, Not Divided series. Difference does not equal deficiency. Just because another believer does not carry your gift does not mean they are missing God. Just because another church does not worship like yours does not mean God is not there. Just because another generation approaches ministry differently does not mean they don’t have something to teach you. And just because you don’t understand someone’s assignment does not mean their assignment isn’t necessary. One of the things I really want us to wrestle with is this: What if the part of the Body you criticize the most is carrying something your part needs? The teacher needs the evangelist. The evangelist needs the intercessor. The worship leader needs the administrator. The person standing on the stage needs the person nobody sees setting things up before everyone arrives. The young need the wisdom of the old. The old need the energy, perspective, and creativity of the young. We need each other. And that means unity has to become more than simply tolerating people who are different from us. Unity requires honor. Honor does not mean I have to imitate you. Honor does not mean I agree with everything you believe. Honor does not require me to abandon discernment or truth. Honor simply means I can look at someone who is different from me and say: “I see what God has placed in you, and I recognize that the Body is better because you are here.” Another thing I want us to talk about is how easily we confuse visibility with value. We celebrate pastors, singers, speakers, authors, influencers, and people with platforms. But what about the grandmother praying for everybody when nobody knows her name? What about the person working with children? The person cleaning the building? The person cooking meals? The person giving quietly? The person making sure everything works behind the scenes? Paul actually tells us that the parts that appear weaker are necessary. So maybe we need to stop asking: “How visible is their gift?” and start asking: “How valuable is their contribution to the Body?” Because those are not the same question. Ultimately, this conversation is about interdependence. A healthy Body doesn’t compete with itself. Imagine your left hand becoming jealous because your right hand got more attention. Imagine your feet deciding the eyes receive too much recognition and refusing to walk. It sounds ridiculous when we talk about a physical body. But sometimes that is exactly how we operate as the Church. Church competing against church. Ministry competing against ministry. Pastor competing against pastor. Christian creator competing against Christian creator. Everybody trying to build their own thing while saying we are building the same Kingdom. Maybe it is time for us to remember: Your gift is important, but your gift is not the whole Body. My challenge for this conversation is simple. Think about the Christians, churches, generations, denominations, or ministries you have struggled to understand. Before you label them, ask: Is what I’m seeing actually unbiblical, or is it simply unfamiliar to me? And then ask an even harder question: “God, what did You put in them that I might need?” Because God placed the members in the Body as it pleased Him, not us. Maybe becoming more unified doesn’t require everybody becoming more alike. Maybe it requires us finally learning how to recognize the value God intentionally placed in our differences. You don’t have to understand every part of the Body to honor the God who placed it there. Join us for this week’s TheReuPLive Podcast as we continue: DIFFERENT, NOT DIVIDED “I Have No Need of You?” Honoring the Parts of the Body You Don’t Understand And while you’re listening, ask yourself: Where have I, through my attitude, actions, traditions, or assumptions, essentially told another part of the Body, “I have no need of you”? Maybe God is ready to show us just how much we actually need each other. 1 Corinthians 12:12–27 | Romans 12:4–5 | 1 Peter 4:10 #TheReuPLive #DifferentNotDivided #BodyOfChrist #ChristianUnity #ChurchUnity #SpiritualGifts #ChristianPodcast #FaithAndCulture #OneBody #Christianity Get full access to Shelton Seworth at sseworth.substack.com/subscribe
