25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 1 Corinthians 12:25-27, NKJV
Note before sharing the devotional: I have a few thoughts on this:
1.) the "church" as referenced in the passage from 1 Corinthians is the community of all believers. So yes, it could very well apply to the church I currently attend (Good News Christian Center). But it could also apply to my housemates (all of whom I believe are believers). It could also apply to my inner circle of friends which include folks from other communities, communities that I used to frequent or be a part of. In short, I think this applies to all of the above.
2.) in my experience I've been part of healthy churches (like my current church) and unhealthy churches (including one case where internal church politics and personal agendae prevented things like balancing a budget and setting aside enough money to fix a very leaky roof for years). I've also seen a church devolve from a spiritually healthy church into a borderline toxic environment. (In short, they took their focus off of God and His Word and shifted it to centering around worldly matters and then using Scripture to back up said worldly matters.) So I understand the importance of a healthy church.
3.) The below devotional will be a challenge to anyone who reads it. It certainly is to me! As I was reading through this, I was thinking about my relationship with my housemates, which continues to be a challenge. God has been challenging (and shaping, when I finally let Him) my heart regarding them, and I know He will continue as more things come up. The point that I have to repeatedly come back to is it's ultimately not about who's right (although it is certainly taken in to consideration). After all, only God is truly right in all senses of the word. It's about bearing with one another and developing (and modeling) that sacrificial, Christ-like love.
How to Have a Healthy Church
All of us, together, are part of Jesus’ body—the Church. Together we reflect who He is and what He has done. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we receive His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit enables us to live like Jesus by equipping us with unique gifts we can use to strengthen and encourage the Church. And when we listen to the Holy Spirit, He draws us closer to God and to each other.And because it is the same Spirit at work within each of us, anyone who belongs to Jesus is part of His body, and has a unique role to play. But just as a physical body will not function unless everything works together, the Church will not function the way it was intended unless we are receptive to the work of the Spirit in us, and committed to putting Jesus first.
The Church is healthy when it works together—united in its desire to love people like Jesus did, and serve others the way Jesus did.
Practically, this could look like serving the people we see at the store, on the street, or at a church service. It could look like inviting someone to your house for a meal, helping someone find a job, being a safe space for a vulnerable family, or financially supporting a non-profit.
If we are Christians, then we are part of Jesus’ body—His Church—and we have a unique role to play in building it up. We are called to use the gifts the Holy Spirit gives us to encourage and sacrificially serve each other, staying united in our love for our Savior. When we do that, Jesus shines through us and touches a broken world in need of hope.
So today, what can you do to serve and support the body of Christ? Jesus’ body is our body—so let’s treat it with care. It is this body that God has chosen to show His love to a hurting world.
https://bible.com/bible/114/1co.12.25-27.NKJV