Romans 12:5 "so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."
I've been going to physical therapy three times a week for the past month. I'm working at regaining mobility to my left arm. The upper arm bone had been shattered in March and now it's necessary to retrain all the muscles and connecting tissue how to lift and extend to normal limits. Today, during therapy, I realized that my own body is helping itself heal. One of my exercises involves a pulley. My good right arm pulls down on the cord and the pulley causes the left arm to raise as it holds the other end. I've been working at increasing the height that my left arm will extend. I realized today that I would have been in a bigger bind if both arms had been broken. I couldn't have used one arm to help the other. In that case I probably would have had to rely on the strength of another person to stretch my left arm. I suppose that, either way, there is an illustration of body ministry. In Christ we are one body with many members. When one part of the body hurts, the entire body hurts. Fortunately, because the body has many members there is plenty of help available.
I have experienced this help personally over the past few months from many others who love the Lord and have identified with my pain and lifted my arm in every way: by prayer, encouragement and acts of service.
In a larger sense many are hurting who are outside our body of love. We have the opportunity of "raising their arm" when they may least expect anyone to care. What a great way for Jesus to show Himself through our lives!
blessings,
Rob Smith
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