1 Cor. 12: 14-21

For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you."
1 Corinthians 12:12-21

What does this mean? First of all, we all have gifts that we need to contribute to the church; however, this passage has more to say. Each individual person needs everyone in the church. And everyone in the church needs you, and me. I then go on to read in Hebrews 10:24-25, "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."

I was quite upset that I had to miss our evening service at church this past Sunday. It was not a good reason at all. And I know how much others are missed when I sit in the pew while longing for more people to join in the worship and singing. My husband and I tell our children that we go to church because the Bible says so, but it's more than that. When the "hand" is missing, it affects the feet, the arms, etc... 1 Corinthians 12:14-21 paints a beautiful picture of how the body of the Christ (the church) works. We need each other. We all need to be at church in order to do our role. Missing body parts affect the singing, the offerings, and the fellowship, just to name a few.