14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body (1 Corinthians 12:14-20, NLT).
I had a very unusual interview this week. I will confess I was taken aback initially—it wasn’t what I expected—but I love the way it turned out!
As is my typical fashion, I showed up early. I always allow extra time for getting lost or behind a slow moving vehicle. Thankfully neither of those things were going to be an issue since the interview was just a couple blocks from my church office.
Well, I sort of got lost since I went to the wrong office suite first, and then couldn’t find the other in the maze of office suites.
When I finally made my way to the correct location, I was warmly welcomed by the coordinator of the interview. Ah, I felt my anxiety drop a couple notches.
Then it happened. One of the people in the group area looked at me and said, “You must be Tina.”
I stopped dead in my tracks and said (in an exaggerated and goofy manner), “Oh darn. I thought I was going to get to be someone else today.”
Fortunately she laughed and others joined in.
Sometimes I forget how to be serious.
But that is who I am. If you’re going to tell me I must be me, then I will. And Tina finds the humor in almost every situation.
I use humor to diffuse. I use humor to deflect. I use humor to get close. I use humor to disarm. I use humor to adjust perspective.
Please understand, I know how to weep—because there’s a time for that. I know how to lament—because crying out to God is necessary and healthy. I know how to be quiet, and serious, and respectfully silent. I can do those things…and do.
But God wired me to find the levity. God made me light-hearted. God made me. So I must be.
I guess in the body of Christ, I’m the funny bone. Not that I’m always funny or telling jokes. In fact I’m horrible at telling jokes—I always mess up the punchline.
Have you heard the old saying, “Rings on her fingers, bells on her toes, she shall have music wherever she goes”? I won’t always have music, but I will have laughter.
In the scripture quoted above, Paul is trying to help the Corinthian church understand the body of Christ, what we might identify as the church. They were caught up in valuing certain gifts and talents above others. Paul wanted them to see how all the gifts/talents are necessary, and in fact placed right where God wants them to be.
So if you must be you—where are you in the body? How does God want to use you?
I like the way Dr. Suess put it:
Oh, and the interview went very well. I think I’m really going to enjoy working with this group of folks!
Pot of Manna 