Nose: “It just doesn’t seem fair to me. Everybody comments on the beautiful blue eyes. I’m certainly not looking for prominence or place, but I’m genuinely concerned about others. I definitely feel sorry for the ears, and the eyebrows and the chin. People rarely notice the contribution they make. They have so much to offer and yet it’s those dumb eyes people notice every time. If they only knew the truth! They’re not half as blue as they appear to be and three-quarters of the time, they’re shut. What would they do if the ears went on strike and stopped listening? People would finally wake-up and pay some attention to the rest of the face!”

Counsellor: “Is there a chance that you, yourself, are feeling undervalued and overlooked? Could it be that when you mentioned your fellow ears and eyebrows and chin – that you are projecting your own hurt, soreness and bitterness over not receiving adequate recognition?”

Nose: “Well, now that you mention it, rarely have I heard people comment on my attributes. I think they just take me for granted. The closest people get to noticing me is when a pair of glasses fit snugly on the face. I suppose, it’s an indirect reference to me. I really do feel undervalued and yes, the eyes are over-rated. If I got even half as much attention as those dumb blue eyes get, I’d be happy.”

The allegory is far-fetched because the members of our face do not entertain such thoughts against each other. They accept the place they have been given. They perform as they should perform and contribute to the general look of the person. We ourselves make the allegory relevant and not so far-fetched.

The believers in Corinth were bickering back and forth over which roles in the local church were the most important and which gifts were the best ones. Christians with the prominent ‘showy’ gifts were belittling those who had a less public role, treating them as insignificant – even unessential. On the other hand, the believers with the less visible roles were critical of the others and wanted to be able to do what they were doing. A very unhealthy atmosphere.

The Apostle Paul writes to teach them and us about diversity and unity.

If the whole body were an eye [How grotesque!] where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear [What a monstrosity!] where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as He chose. 1Corinthians 12:17-18

Anything we have as a believer has been given to us by grace – not because of merit. Absolutely not a particle of merit! The other sister wasn’t given a certain spiritual gift because God appreciates her more. And you weren’t deprived of a certain spiritual ability because you failed to measure-up.

All are indebted to God’s grace for anything we have as believers. We are to accept, with thankfulness, what God has given to us and carefully use it for His glory. Together, in our God appointed spheres and roles, we are to work cohesively as smoothly as a well-functioning, balanced human body works – each contributing to the whole.

As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 1Peter 4:10-11

Who gets the glory around here?

Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today.

Warmly in Christ
Peter Ramsay

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