When I was in high school I pledged for a club called Civitan. Civitan was THE club at Oak Ridge High School and our pledge class had nearly thirty pledges which eclipsed most of the other service clubs entire roster. We were a service organization to help our school community and the surrounding area around Oak Ridge. For a kid who felt like a fly on the wall, if I got into Civitan I would be considered one of the "ins" instead of the "outs". One of the activities we needed to do to show our commitment to the club was to sell Krispy Kreme donuts and I thought if I sold a bunch they would think I would be an asset to the group. I went out the weekend before and sold sixty dozen donuts. When I turned my order in, the club president asked who sold the sixty donuts and I proudly raised my hand. When pledge time was over, I got my gold and blue Civitan pin and now I had gained significance. But this feeling did not last very long because others did not think I was so significant. My gold pin didn't mean much to parents, teachers, and other kids. To them, I was still Steve.
In the 1 Corinthians 12:14 passage in The Message, they use the word significant to describe how each member of the body of Christ is important. In fact Paul said God has arranged each part of the body of Christ exactly as he chooses. I am not significant because I have a certain role/responsibility as a pastor/chaplain, but I am significant because I am an equal part of the entire body of Christ in its creation. John says to us who have believed:
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:12 and 13 (NIV)
By God's personal will, he has "born" me and I am his. I really do matter to him as a loving father to his child.
And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. Matthew 10:30-32 (NIV)
Even though I have significantly less hair than in high school, I know God does care for me--a matter of significant importance to him. You see, God pledged his Son for my redemption and Jesus paid the cost which is significantly more than a box of donuts.
In the 1 Corinthians 12:14 passage in The Message, they use the word significant to describe how each member of the body of Christ is important. In fact Paul said God has arranged each part of the body of Christ exactly as he chooses. I am not significant because I have a certain role/responsibility as a pastor/chaplain, but I am significant because I am an equal part of the entire body of Christ in its creation. John says to us who have believed:
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:12 and 13 (NIV)
By God's personal will, he has "born" me and I am his. I really do matter to him as a loving father to his child.
And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. Matthew 10:30-32 (NIV)
Even though I have significantly less hair than in high school, I know God does care for me--a matter of significant importance to him. You see, God pledged his Son for my redemption and Jesus paid the cost which is significantly more than a box of donuts.
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