The human body has many parts, but the many parts, make up only one body. So it is with the Body of Christ…

…But God made our bodies with many parts, and He has put each part just where he wants it…

…If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. Now all of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.

I Cor 12:12, 18, 25-27

Lately, I’ve been feeling like God has been waving a BIG bright yellow banner with the word “INTERDEPENDENCE” on it, written in caps! Though this has not been a foreign concept to me, it is something that has been in the forefront of my mind more so than usual. I’ve been meditating on the meaning so much that I have felt an emergent need to personally work more diligently at it. In the past, one practical way I chose to live interdependently was to move in to a house where I could live in intentional community with other girls. We have been intentional about having meals together, praying with and for each other, and did bible studies together.

Presently, I’ve been experience interdependence in several other areas in my life, one being with my neighbors. Recently, after having been open about a physical need (a light fixture being broken), a neighbor came to my house, worked on fulfilling that need and in exchange for his service, a cake was baked after he expressed his desire for homemade baked goods. In my small group, I also have seen interdependence take place when we have shared responsibilities with alternating to facilitate each teaching, providing a meal or snacks and even switching homes to offset the host’s load.

Something that hinders interdependence from happening is that it often requires much work and effort from people. It’s much easier to work independently. I recently read this quote “We need to be open to learn from each other and to be vulnerable in such a way that other people know that we need them.” Though this statement is true, this is a difficult process especially with the culture we are living in.  

Nevertheless, community is something you have to fight for, it doesn’t just happen magically. The church for one is meant to be a community of God’s people that encloses a divine purpose, abundant gifts, and a place for everyone to belong and to serve. It’s a reciprocal relationship with mutual dependence on each other as an entire body. Corinthians 12:18 describes “But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

 We ought to be living this concept out!

Luana Faria

Posted on March 30th, 2009 by Michael
Filed under: Community Development, Family & Friends, News, VOICE