Sister Sara Says

3rd Sunday after Epiphany Second Reading 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” – 1 Cor 12:12

Sometimes I read Paul’s letters in scripture, and I think “what on earth was he thinking”. Other times, like with today’s reading, I can’t imagine how words written a few thousand years ago could be so prophetic.

The early church was struggling with one of its most common problems, thinking some people were better than others. I’m so glad we don’t have that problem anymore…

Oh wait, that sounds awfully familiar. How many times have we thought “at least I’m a better christian than him” or “man she really needs to get it together”. Even while we might be cordial and polite to others, its easy to let that feeling of superiority creep in.

Or sometimes its the feeling of inferiority that gets us. That feeling that someone else has it all together. That they are such a better christian because they always post pics of their daily devotion on Instagram (because if they don’t post, does it happen?) Or because they participate in worship differently than we do. But Paul warns us all about that in this letter to the church in Corinth.

Paul argues that no part of the body is better than another, therefore no member of the community is better than another. My favorite part of this passage is about the organs. The fact that the organs are kind of gross (like I don’t need anybody showing me pictures of their surgery, mkay thanks) but our body covers them and protects them because they are vital to our survival.

Sometimes I think of the people we might find least important in the church like those vital organs. Kids. I know, I know, kids aren’t a lung, but hear me out. You might think “my kids are super valued in my church, they have their own space, their own worship, and the love being there!” And you would be correct, I’m sure churches value children in many different ways.

But churches aren’t always good at accepting children for what they are. Which is children. They are loud, they don’t always behave themselves, and they run their mouths at inappropriate times. But so do some adults I know… Just because kids don’t always have it all together doesn’t mean they aren’t one of the most valuable pieces that makes our churches whole.

So think about ways your kids are part of your church. Do they help lead corporate worship? Do they have roles in mission and outreach? Do they help with set up and clean up from events? Do they have input on what they’d like to see happen in the greater life of the church?

How do you show your kids they are a vital part of the church? Celebrate those ways, encourage the people who make them happen. If you can’t pinpoint the ways you value kids, what could you or your congregation do differently?

Kids are literally the future of the church, and I know its getting trite to say they are also our present, but we have to remember it. But they aren’t like a savings account. We can’t just put them away till they become adults. They need adults willing to walk with them, mentor them, and show them what it means to be part of the body of Christ now, so they are ready to take their places as the hands and feet… or inappropriately running mouth, of Jesus.