Last night I hurt my thumb. Many of you will not be surprised that I was hopping over a chair during our youth service and jammed it, or fractured it, or maybe broke it. Who knows. It hurts thought! Super bad.

I attempted to make a splint to immobilize it last night but that didn't work. So then I just used medical tape to try to keep it from hurting too badly. I did not sleep well.

It's amazing how one little hurt finger can cripple you in so many ways.

Moving my other fingers on my left hand moves the thumb and therefore renders my entire hand useless.

Last night I couldn't

• unbutton my pants to use the restroom.
• unbuckle my children from their car seats.
• open the Tylenol bottle.
• squeeze the tooth paste to brush my teeth.

This morning I couldn't

• wash my hair in the shower.
• put on make-up.
• blow dry my hair and use my brush.
• put on a shirt normally.
• carry more than 1 child.
• help my children get dressed.

Did I mention I'm left-handed? That means my plans for the rest of the day are shot. I can't

• write our monthly budget.
• pay bills.
• vacuum the house.
• fold laundry.
• scrub bathrooms.
• rack our front yard.
• sweep the floors.

I've tried to do all these things. Some I've accomplished but at a MUCH slower pace than normal and look'n like a fool the entire time. You know: holding the toothpaste with my forearm and squeezing it out against my tummy. Washing my hair one-handed. Stretching my arm over the top of my head hoping I rinsed out all the soap. Applying mascara to my eyelashes {and the rest of my face} as I tried reaching across my face.

My emotions keep swinging back and forth from laughing at myself and my failed attempts to act like nothings wrong and wanting to cry because my thumb hurts so bad when it moves.

God is teaching me today from Romans 8:28 (NIV)

²⁸ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose.

Yeah yeah, the whole, "He's got a plan" thing and the obvious, "Maybe He wants you to slow down" advice but today, God is teaching me about the body of Christ through this circumstance.

~~~~~{Long break from typing for lunch, that took twice as long because MY THUMB HURTS!}~~~~~~~

 Often, as Christians, when we hear the passage talking about us being the "body of Christ" we run in two different directions.

1. We see all these important people in "church" and assume our job is insignificant. We attend minimal services much less contribute to any ministry because we feel unqualified {especially in comparison to others around us}. We see our simple gifts and talents as unnecessary or useless to ministry.
2. We hike up our boots and assume there's enormous amounts of work to be done...by ME. So we take on every ministry possible and fill our weeks with every "church" activity available. We take a worldly point of view and view ministry like the American dream. The more well-rounded we are the better. The higher in authority we become the more worthy. The more titles we acquire the more meaning we bring to our lives.

I'm here to say I am learning that neither of these approaches is biblical!

Taking on either one of these points of view will cripple the body of Christ and inevitably the advancement of the gospel. Who knows the human body better than God, its creator? He formed every inch of us with a specific purpose. Who better would understand the inner workings and specific purposes of the body of Christ than Jesus Christ? He lived it.

When you join a local body of believers and assume they have everything running smoothly and don't need you, the body is crippled. Maybe you see your role in the body as a thumb and say "I'm just 1 of many fingers. What difference does it make if I am involved engaged or take part. It won't make big difference if I'm even healthy. They can do it without me." By not engaging or participating in the ministry of your local body of Christ using your specific gifting and talent you are hindering it. When you do this you are belittling the craftsmanship and sovereignty of God. He made you a thumb. You have a significant part in the body of Christ to advance His gospel in your community and beyond.

In the same since, when you assume you are to be involved in every aspect of your local body of believers you hinder its full potential. When you try to work your way up in what the world sees as the hierarchy of the church, the body ends up look'n like a fool by having a thumb attempting to do the specific purpose of the nose...and a leg...and a tooth...and the hair. It takes at least twice as long to get something done and that's if the task ever gets accomplished. AND we make the other parts feel unnecessary by us doing their job.

Wow, that was a lot thinking out loud. Hope that all came out right. God's teaching me all kinds of new things about saying no and stepping up. Maybe I'm not the only one and that's why I felt like sharing. Thanks for reading through my thoughts on being a part of the body of Christ. Tomorrow I plan to come back and finish up some thoughts on "splinting" and "talents".

Leave a comment: share your thoughts are your journey as a thumb, or an eye, or the brain ;o)