Body

Last week during our department head meeting for Asian Hope, we were asked to ponder 2 questions: What makes Jesus so special? and What makes Jesus so appealing? Needless to say, there were many ideas thrown out when it came to the first question. Most of them were attributes of God (i.e. sinless, loving, beat death, personal relationship...etc). When it came to the second question, invariably we came around to the fact that  people seeing Christ's attributes in other Christians is a huge way that Jesus becomes appealing to non-believers. Makes sense. I am sure many of you have heard the comment "You may be the only Jesus that some people see". I know what is meant by that and, in principle, I guess it is true. The reflection of Christ in you may be the only slice of Christ's life that some people see. It does make some sense but I have never really liked that comment. It is usually used to motivate people to live a life that is constantly a glorious reflection of who Christ is. I don't like it because I don't always live that way. If I am the only Christ that some people see then they will get a very distorted view of who my Savior is.
As we were dissecting this topic more thoroughly, a principal from one of our schools brought up the verse "For wherever two or three gather together in my name, there am I with them." This verse is great when you are with other people but what about when you are alone? Of course he is there then, too. So maybe this verse means something different. Maybe it refers not to God's presence only when you are with others (he is omnipresent, remember) but more that God's true personality becomes more evident through the lives of more than one believer. Interesting take on that verse. Our discussion ended soon after so we could focus on business, but it continued in my mind.
A few days after our meeting, I began to think about this conversation and God brought to mind the awesome passage of scripture found in 1 Corinthians 12. It discusses in depth the complexities of the body of Christ in comparison to our human bodies. That is when I really began to feel at peace with my discomfort of the phrase "You may be the only Jesus...etc". No one can see the magnificence of Christ when they only see me...or you. It wasn't meant to be that way. When I worked in the operating room of a Level 2 trauma center for many years, we used to (unfortunately) have patients come into our OR suites apart from some of their various body parts. When I looked at a finger (or hand or arm or foot or leg...etc) separate from the rest of the body, I didn't marvel at it thinking how amazing the body was. It was only one part. Really not even a reflection of the whole body. Just one tiny part, amazing as it is. But when we only see one small slice, we (I) notice its deficiencies (that is a cool hand, but it can't breathe or think or smell or see or hear...etc.). Similarly, when people see me, they only see one part of the Body of Christ, not the whole thing.
Then I thought of other glorious things that I have seen in my life and thought, what if I was the only one with the responsibility to communicate how cool it is to those around me. One of the things that came to mind was Angkor Wat. It is a very old temple here in Cambodia that I have been to more than a half dozen times. It is sooo cool. Really. It was incredibly advanced for its time, so much so that today engineers still marvel at some of their accomplishments 800+ years ago.  Do you know and appreciate Angkor Wat yet? Take a look at the pics that I am including. Maybe that will help you to really know and appreciate Angkor Wat.

Part of Angkor Wat

Part of Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat at Sunset

Another part of Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

The walkway to the main part of Angkor Wat

Inside Angkor Wat

 More inside Angkor Wat

Stairs at Angkor Wat

More...

A view of the Angkor Wat grounds from high inside Angkor Wat

Another view

Us at Angkor Wat.

 Not yet? How about if I shared quotes and pictures from others who have been there and experienced it? I am sure that would help but it is impossible to completely communicate the grandeur of this place apart from you experiencing it for yourself.
This is when it all came together for me. That's exactly how it is in the kingdom of God. No ONE person, except Christ himself, can adequately represent Christ to others around them. All I can do is walk in obedience in what God has called me to do. Use the gifts that He has given me for the glory of His kingdom and His name. After all, God says in His word: "To obey is better than sacrifice..." 1 Samuel 15:22. As others do that, along with us, people around us can piece together a more accurate picture of who Christ is. That is the Body of Christ at work. Each of us filling in the gaps where others leave off. Being the sense of smell for the eye, being the sense of touch for the heart, thinking for the ear, breathing for the hand...etc. We were never meant to go it alone. Don't try to be everyone and everything else for the world, be who God created you to be. That is what will complete His body on Earth and make Him appealing to others.