DAY ONE: PULLING YOUR OWN WEIGHT WITHIN THE BODY

As you begin the ministry of Jesus Christ in your current assignment, it is
vital that you understand your responsibility not only to your call, but to the
body of Christ as a whole.

Romans 12:4-8 , 1 Corinthians 12:17-20

God created the church, both locally and globally, to function as a single
unit with a single purpose. There is no room for competition, jealousy,
stubbornness, laziness, or arrogance within the body. Any time a human organ
ceases to function in the way that it was designed to function, it affects the
rest of the body. It may kill or damage other organs, put added strain on other
organs, or kill the body all together. Organ malfunction is serious business
within the human body. The malfunctioning of a believer within the body is just
as serious.

During the course of your life, you will be tempted to malfunction as a
member of the body of Christ. You may become competitive, hurting yourself and
others out of a desire for recognition that can only be satisfied by God. You
may become jealous, slanderous or steal the joy of fellow believers, forgetting
that you have everything that you need in Christ and that His grace is
sufficient for you. You may become stubborn, paralyzing the rhythm of God within
the body and preventing the lost from seeing Jesus accurately, essentially
attempting to replace Jesus as the head of the body. You may become lazy,
forgetting the cross that is yours to carry; or arrogant, forgetting the grace
that saved you when you did not deserve it. Whatever your tendency, you must
guard against it, humbly assuming your place within the body, replacing your own
desires with God’s desires, and finding contentment in your own assignment.

Take a few moments and write your thoughts, concerns, and questions in your
journal. Allow the following thought suggestions to guide you.

Are you a team player? Explain. How do you feel when you consider your role
within the larger interdependent body of Christ?

Because of our sinful natures, we are all tempted to malfunction. How do you
predict that you will be tempted to do so? Explain.

How can you guard against malfunction?

What is God saying to you?