Play Your Position

“But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.” 1 Corinthians 12:18-20 ESV

My junior year in high school, I tried my hand at sports again. I had played basketball before and liked it but instead I decided to try softball out. And strangely enough, I was pretty good at it. I went from being a second string-hitter to a regular starter by the end of the season. During this time of learning fundamentals for some, including me, and refreshment for others, we were tried out at different positions to see where we would be best to play during the game. I started on third base but ended up an outfielder because I was a pretty fast runner. During this time, I learned that there wasn’t one position of more value than the others, contrary to what I had thought before. Yes, there are more popular positions like pitcher, shortstop, and 1st base, but it is the whole team that brings the team success. Every team member was as important to the overall function of the team.

I was reading today a book I ran across in the grocery store a few days ago entitled “Gifts and Ministries of the Holy Spirit” by Dr. Lester Sumrall. In the first few chapters, he has driven home the fact no one person is more important to God than another. I know from experience how today the position of pastor or head deacon or bishop or apostle have all been given some sort of acclaim. It’s like if a person has appended Prophet or Reverend to their name, they suddenly get special treatment or celebrity status. And in the end, many ‘regular folk’ feel that they have nothing to bring to the table. But the truth is, God wants us all–He wants to use us all. We are all a part of the body of Christ and have all been adopted into His family.

When you know the Word and have a relationship with God, you more than know your worth to Him. Saving your life was worth Jesus’ life!! Spend that time with God and get in position. Know your role and purpose in God’s overall plan. There is no small part in this production, if you impact one person’s life and lead them to Christ…you have made God proud! Play your position, and play it well, because lives and souls are at stake.

“On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” 1 Corinthians 12:22-26 ESV