The Whole ChurchSample

THE BODY OF CHRIST

We live in a world of scoreboards. And it’s not just our athletic feats and failures that are being tallied—it’s everything. Salaries, clothing, degrees, grades, body measurements—nearly every facet of who we are adds or detracts from our rank. Whether consciously or not, we’re competing with most everyone in our lives from co-workers and family members to strangers and celebrities we’ll never even meet. Why? Because we want to know how we measure up. 

And we want to come out on top. 

In this culture of competition, the words surrender and submit may sound like the fancy versions of something we all dread: losing. After all, only conquered people surrender, and only the weak submit. But while the world may equate submission with defeat, God has an entirely different view. 

Look at how Jesus addressed the disciples: “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave” (Matt. 20:25-27).

It’s an upside-down, inside-out way of thinking and living. But we have to reorient ourselves in His kingdom if we want to be His body. If we want to “win,” we must first lose. Or put another way, we can’t triumph together as the body of Christ and be His loving hands and feet on earth without submitting to one another. As unnatural as that might feel, it’s simply not optional. 

In the Lord’s prayer—the one prayer we have record of Jesus teaching His disciples—He emphasized something that often gets overlooked. The entire petition focuses on we not me—it’s our Father, our daily bread, our debts. (See Matt. 6:9-13). What does that tell us? That our relationship with God is personal, but it’s not individual in nature. We’re part of a family. And in the church, none of us benefits from operating like an only child. 

As brothers and sisters in Christ, we must take to heart Paul’s words to the Philippians: “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves” (2:3). Without the foundation of mutual submission, everything we build as the church is but one disagreement away from disintegration.

Don’t forget: Whole means “healthy.” And being whole requires all of us submitting first to God and then to one another. If we want to build Christ’s body in love, then we need to know how. And that’s what we’ll explore in the days to come. 

Digging Deeper

• Redirect any competitiveness you might have into uplifting others and helping them serve well.
• Keep an eye out for any group or team of people who exemplify “working together seamlessly.” Jot down observations about how they interact and communicate, then contemplate ways their practices could be implemented in your church.
• Refrain from saying anything negative about others. Don’t feed anyone’s insecurities. Instead, encourage acceptance of any perceived flaws and patience for God’s process.

Prayer

Father, I stand in awe of the example You set for us. I desire to love and serve others humbly, but I confess I need your help. I pray You’ll open my eyes to the areas in my life where I need to surrender more fully to both You and Your people. Where pride is causing me to stumble, Lord, I ask for Your gentle correction. Help me to trust You—even when I may feel discomfort. Amen.