What role does caring play in the health of the church?
The following verses give a glimpse of the way in which we have a role to play in contributing to the body’s health and in warding off division.
1 Corinthians 12: 24-25 (ESV) 24 … God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
Let’s take a look at a couple of key words to learn more. Note each of the following terms are mentioned as the outcome of God’s action in composing the body.
Care– The Greek word translated as care (merimnáō) and many similar ones are used in a range of meanings from deep fear, worry and anxiety to taking interest in, concern for, and caring about others well being. It depends often on the context whether it is a positive or negative use. An example in 1 Peter 5:7 (ESV) “casting all your anxieties on (God), because he cares for you.” Here it’s negative with anxieties being an unnecessary burden. If we are carrying worry and fear around it’s likely we don’t fully trust in God’s care. Some might even suggest we sin as we lack trust in God’s care.
?
- Are you casting your anxiety on God and trusting in His care for you? or carrying worry on your own and limiting your ability to respond to God’s care for you and others?
- How can you tell if you have or haven’t cast your worries on the Lord? When you’ve cast your anxiety on God how can you tell?
Same – The Greek word translated as same (autós) is often used to help illustrate the idea of self or possession. A subset of words translated as same include the notion that there is one God shared by all and that same God shapes everyone’s religious experience. The same Lord, same Spirit, same spiritual nourishment, etc. And regarding each individual’s experience – the same mind, same judgment, speaking the same thing, same care, changed into the same image, and same love. All share the same God, the same baptism and so on. Each experience is unique but because it’s the same God one experience is not more special than another. The Apostle Paul points out that being members of the same body rules out the possibility of being tricked into feelings of inferiority (1 Cor 12:14-16).
?
- Are you accepting that God cares for all that accept His care- each sharing the same God, the same care? or are you seeing God’s care as leaving some feeling inferior and others feeling more special?
- How would you know if you are experiencing and witnessing this “same” God and “same” care?
One another– the Greek word translated as one another (allḗlōn) can also mean mutual or reciprocally. There are more than 50 different places where Christians are reminded of the unique fellowship (koinonia) they have: love one another, honor one another, greet one another, and so on. Find a list of them here. These describe the deep relational nature of the members of the church with Christ as head. This sense of relating to one another contrasts an interest towards self or the world.
?
- Are you reflecting God’s care in your care for others – for things of His kingdom, church, and well being of the members? or are you mired in the world and self interest?
- How could you tell the difference if the issue relates to church but may be driven by self-interest? As an example someone wants to start a new ministry but mostly so they can lead it.
Honor – the Greek word translated as honor (timḗ) conveys the idea of worth, value, price, honor and respect. In the context of an organization it also means having the ability to contribute to the wholeness of the body. Or put another way each member’s honor is their ability to perform the role they are intended for. This would be opposed to the idea of one part as more valuable to the church than another. Each part has a role to play and is, honored, equipped to contribute thru care.
?
- Are you seeing everyone as equally honored by God? Equally equipped to contribute to the health of the body? Or are you seeing some as more honored and others as less presentable?
- How does seeing everyone as able to contribute to the healthy functioning of the body, thru caring for one another, differ from seeing everyone as having gifts to contribute to the growth?
IS IT CARE OR ANXIETY?
The following is an attempt to summarize the points made above into a simple way to check if we are nurturing the care God enabled us for or if we are carrying around unnecessary anxiety and worry.
C – Cast your anxieties on God: because He CAREs for you. Are we doing this?
A– All share the same God: also, all share the SAME religious experience: Each member’s experience is unique but none less special than another. Are you accepting that inferiority can’t be felt as all share the same God and same care?
R – Relating to one another: Not to the worlds or our own interest. God’s care is reflected in our care for ONE ANOTHER. Are we concerned with our own and the world’s things or things of God and His care for those around us?
E – Equally enabled for care: Our HONOR helps us contribute to the wholeness and health of the body of Christ. It makes God’s care more visible, not us more visible. Are we seeing God’s care manifest thru everyone, all honored, all enabled to care, or accepting that some may be more important?
From fellowship example
- In the context of 1 Cor 12:24-25:
- they cast their concerns and worries on the Lord trusting in His CARE for them – in this case asking for help.
- As they gained a greater appreciation that they all shared the SAME Lord and the SAME awe they found care for each other being nurtured.
- This reminded them that the fellowship is between ONE ANOTHER, not just among those who felt they were on the right side.
- Lastly they reunited around worshiping God. They found greater evidence that indeed each member was EQUALLY HONORED by God. They made space so each could worship.
- The meeting itself took less than a few hours and the result was a reenergized church.
from middle
- In the context of 1 Cor 12:24-25, the following considers how God honors members so there would be the same care for one another and no division.(Take a look here to learn more about how C-A-R-E.)
- C – cast anxieties on God – Trusting in His care for them – asking for help from an outsider.
- A – all share the same God – As they gained a greater appreciation that they all shared the same Lord and the same awe they found care for each other being nurtured.
- R – relating to one another – They were reminded that the fellowship is between one another, not just among those who felt they were on the right side.
- E – equally enabled to care – Lastly they reunited around worshiping God. They found greater evidence that indeed each member was equally enabled by God for worship and more. They made space so each could worship.
from top
- In the context of 1 Cor 12:24-25, the following considers how God honors members so there would be the same care for one another and no division. (Take a look here to learn more about how C-A-R-E.)
- C – cast anxieties on God – Trusting in His care. They opened themselves up to a new approach, from newcomers no less.
- A – all the same God – They first encouraged themselves by realizing that they all received blessings from the same God, from the same ministries
- R – relating to one another – As they shifted from thinking about their own positive experiences to potential blessings for others they found growing unity with one another. Thinking about how those ministries could bless others naturally included the role the members would play in supporting those ministries, even if that wasn’t the focus.
- E – equally enabled for care – All of this culminated in a decision to move forward recognizing the God had acted in all of their lives and would continue to honor them as they focused on sharing these blessings with others
Feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or suggestions