Body Building

Meet "Amputee Barbie".  She, along with her two identical sisters, are the newest members of Ava's doll collection.  

It wasn't easy, but after much debate and deliberation, Ava finally decided what to spend her birthday money on... a package of three Barbie-like dolls for a very affordable five dollars.  With a deal like that she even had money left over!  Perhaps I should have been more suspicious.  Such an appealing price point should have sent a warning signal to me about the quality of the product, but I'm a sucker for a bargain. 

After we paid and settled into the car, I allowed Ava to get the dolls out of the box.  Two minutes of playing with the them and Ava moans, "oh no, Mommy!  Her arm fell off.  Can you fix it?"  
However, by now I'm busy driving the car and can't help.  No worries though.  A moment later she exclaims, "hey, I just popped it back on!  That was easy."  This comment was soon followed  by, "oops, there went her other arm. Oh no, her legs fell off too.  I can't get them back on.  Hey, you can't take the clothes off these babies!  The arms come off but not the clothes.  That's weird, huh Mom?  Oh wait...I see.  You have to take off all the arms and legs first, then you can pull off the dress.  Wow!"  

Despite their physical maladies, "Amputee Barbies" must be fun because she still plays with them.  Piper likes to chew on spare body parts that are left laying around on the floor.  Isaac enjoys swapping one dolls appendages for another's.  They're just good clean fun for the whole family.  The only problem is when an arm or leg goes missing.  When a part is permanently misplaced, nobody wants to play with "Torso Barbie".  She is left limbless and alone. 

I've been reading about the body of Christ.  You should too, because you are a part of that body.  Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-31.  Well, go on.  You can read it...I'll wait.  

How many times have we seen pictures of Jesus portrayed as a thin, fair skinned, long haired, pretty boy?  That guy doesn't look like he knows a thing about physical labor.  He probably has lady hands!  I am convinced that Jesus didn't look like this at all, for several reasons.  For one thing, Jesus is a bodybuilder.  No lie!

You may not realize, but Jesus is very conscientious about his body.  Being members of His body, God has given us each a purpose to accomplish.  We all have a very specific function.  And as a bodybuilder, God takes great care to exercise every part of the body.  He focuses on strengthening each muscle and building it's endurance.  He knows the importance of stretching and rest.  He knows the complexity of each tendon, muscle, and ligament. 
Jesus takes time to develop each body part because every component is essential and connected to the whole.   One weak or missing part can quickly become life threatening.  A body simply cannot thrive without each part working at it's full potential.  Perhaps it can survive...but for how long?  
The truth is, we can lose a finger.  We can make do without an eye.  But sooner or later, the remaining parts will be overwhelmed.  They will have to compensate for the lost limb, work harder to achieve less.   And eventually the body will languish.  

See, you are critical to the body.  You matter to God.  You matter to the people around you.  Without you, the rest of us fail to thrive.  Whether you are serving as the tongue or the tonsils, you are desperately needed.  Together we are the body of Christ. 
Maybe you're feeling the burn lately.  Maybe He is stretching you or making you sweat.  Just remember, He's not another pretty boy, He is Almighty.  Shouldn't He have the body to prove it?