By Teri Wetzel
While on a retreat recently, the women of Main Street Church participated in a special project.
Each woman was given a small, 1” x 1 1/2” piece of paper with an image on it. The shapes were simple, although some contained more shades of color or angles than the others, but they seemed quite random on their own.
The women were tasked to reproduce their image, as exactly as possible, on a 5” x 7” canvas.
When completed, the tiles were gathered.
And arranged.
And slowly it begins to make sense.
That is how it is in the body of Christ, too.
We each have a part to play…a tile with a unique image to contribute.
On its own, each individual part may seem random, small, and without overall purpose. But as we are fitted together with other believers, our part, and the overall picture begins to take shape.
It is not until we have the context of those around us that our part makes sense.
Often we need to step back, stop focusing on just our own little tile, and see the bigger picture.
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
Rom 12:4-5
The overall image is dependent upon each individual’s contribution. Interpretations of color and distribution of space can be quite different from person to person. Nevertheless, the larger picture is still discernible and powerful.
This is like the Body of Christ.
Each person brings their own unique personalities, skills, and gifts. These do not look the same or match perfectly, as you can see i
n the picture– which highlights the need of the oil of the Holy Spirit and grace be liberally at work among us. And the need for continual growth toward the “ideal image” of Christ.
However imperfect we may be right now, when assembled by the Master, a beautiful picture or functioning community is born. Each piece is important to the whole and the whole is essential to the individual, just as God created it.
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the
whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Eph 4:15-16
So, where is your “tile”? Have you allowed the Lord to “fit” you in to the big picture, i.e. are you a part of a local body, or church? And are you “showing up” or bringing your unique gifts and talents into the mix, i.e., being who God has made you to be?
The more we are conformed to Christ, the more accurately we reflect His glory, the more perfectly we reproduce His image in the world.
One tile at a time.
*With special thanks to Sarah Wetzel, a “piece” the Master has beautifully fit into our family, for her help with this project and blog piece.
You might also like:
