“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
1 Corinthians 12:27
At a recent conference, I shared the platform with my friend Camille. Actually, she doesn’t speak. Camille is an interpreter for the deaf who often travels with me to sign my messages. As I talked, her hands were working a mile a minute just to keep up. I spoke for almost an hour, got a sore throat, and had to pop a lozenge.
During break time I noticed my friend Francie sitting with Camille, giving her hands a deep massage. Camille signed, “Joni, your throat may be sore, but my hands are sore from your talk. My tendons are tight and this hand rub is as soothing as — well, that lozenge on your throat.”
It never occurred to me that Camille’s hands would get tired of talking, or should I say, signing. As I watched Francie give Camille back the “voice” in her hands, I thought, What a beautiful picture of the body of Christ working together. One part can’t do the job alone. When I speak, I need someone else’s hands to push my chair to the platform. My deaf friends who are present can’t hear unless Camille offers her hands to interpret. And Camille can’t use her hands very long unless someone else gives her wrists and fingers a massage.
When it comes to giving the Gospel, it’s always a cooperative effort of love and support. The Lord takes delight when His body works that way.
Someone needs you today, you could be the hands or the ears or the voice of someone who needs help. We’re in this together so find a part of the body that can’t be complete without you.
Find a tailor-made place for me to fit in Your body today, Lord. Let me be Your hands to someone who needs Your love.
