But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked in it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
1 Corinthians 12:24b-26
If this passage in 1 Corinthians celebrating the uniqueness of the many diverse parts of the body of Christ doesn’t describe your church or missional community then something might need to change. The modem operandi of doing church still tends to see things from a social norms point of view: That the most charismatic and most spiritually and physically active are its most important contributors. Here, Paul not only argues for recognition of gifts in all their diversity, even the not so obvious ones, but he also urges people to value them as equal to the upfront ones. From a disability point of view these might be having a particular insight, experience or skill that is unique to them, which when shared or used blesses and equips others to step out in what God has called them to do. In other words, Paul is saying to the people of Corinth, and us, that no God-given gift is off limits when it comes to building His Kingdom no matter how insignificant it may seem.
If you look back at some of the past reflections in this series you will notice that there is a strange and fascinating irony in that those prevented from entering the temple are the very people likely to be the ones that ensure the wholeness of the body of Christ, as He intended it to be. If you’ve never heard a deaf person prophesying, or have been served your tea and biscuits from a blind person during a meeting then something is preventing our communities from living out Christ’s purposes, and it needs correcting. It was never God’s intention for anyone (or their gifts) to be elevated above another’s. If we aren’t making space to ensure that everyone can play their part in the Kingdom building then people will be missed, forgotten, and ignored for sure. Why? Because there is no one way to reach everyone. No one way to connect with everyone. It takes a complete turnaround in our thinking to see those marginalized in our society as having valuable gifts through whom everyone in that can experience God’s grace. Yes its radical, but not impossible.
REFLECT…
PRAY…
& STEP OUT
Why is it easier sometimes for us to pretend that disability or deformity doesn’t exist? From what you have read so far in this series, what needs to change?
Creatively! What dreams might you imagine on the inclusion of marginalized people groups that might be described as ‘radical’?
Are there gifts buried within your own community/church? How might you discover this? It might take a bit more than just asking the question though 😉